Shatter Me, Into Pieces
by SweetDreams01
Summary: Patrick and Robin are married to others when a late night phonecall makes them realize that they still might love eachother. They're torn between love &obligation,but little do they realize that someone might take the choice out of their hands.Scrubs!Nem!
1. Phone Calls In The Night

**Shatter Me Into Pieces**

**Author: SweetDreams01 (Sabrina)**

**Summary**: Patrick and Robin are married to other people when a late night phonecall makes them realize that they still might love eachother. They're torn between their spouses and eachother but little do they realize that someone might take the choice out of their hands. Scrubs and a suprise couple.

**Backstory**: Its 2010 and Patrick and Robin have spent years apart. After arguing about the no string sex they ended the relationship and later fell in love with and married other people (Nikolas and Emily). They still work at GH but have been avoiding eachother since, barely talking to eachother about more than the weather or a patient.

**Disclaimer:** None of the Gh characters our songs i use our mine. They belong solely to ABC and the singers that performed them. This disclaimer stand for the entirety of the story.

**Chapter One: Phone Calls In the Night**

Patrick walks into their bedroom and slams the door, trying to contemplate his life thus far. 'How did my life get to the point where the one thing in my life that was supposed to bring me joy, can bring me so much misery. Emily was the light of my life, and when I bent down on one knee to purpose to her, I never thought I'd regret it. Now I wonder if it was all a mistake.'

The sharp sound of the phone's ring awakens him from his deep thoughts. 'Its probably GH asking me to work tonight. Why can't they understand that I'm tired and I can't take this anymore. I just want some peace and quiet!' He clumsily reaches over and picks up the reciever.

"'Patrick."

The familar voice brings chills to his spine and he realizes that he hasn't heard this melodious sound for what seems like a long time. Too long. Its only then when he realizes the sobs echoing through the phone. "Robin, why are you calling me so late. Is something worng?". He tries to seem as nonchalant as possible but hearing her tears just slices through his heart. I know I'm not supposed to feel this strongly about her. I'm married and I've lived without her for some time. Its just something about her that makes me feel...drawn to her.

"Its Nikolas. Over the past months he's been drinking and at first I shook off my worry thinking it was nothing and he didn't have a problem. But now its something I can't deny, ecspecially since today. He's been ch-cheating on me. I caught him in bed with another woman and I just don't know what to do. I didn't know who to call but since I've been thinking about you lately, I called you." I can't believe I told him that. We're married and I need to get over our love and put it in the past. Its over. Why does it always take so long for me to realize this.

"That bastard, doesn't deserve you, Robin. Stay strong and stick it out. Me and Emily our haing problems too, but its different. She hasn't done much but she's just becoming the bitchy, controlling person that I never knew she could be. I feel like I'm falling out of love...You know its funny, I've been wondering how we got from being so deep in love to marrying other people. I wonder what could have happened if we would have just tried harder, but its too late for that. We're married and I'm still in love. I just need to try harder to be a good husband," Patrick responds, his heart pounding. Why do I feel like I'm lying to her? I love Emily, but talking to Robin is making it hard to remember that. Stay calm Patrick, just end the coversation. You don't need her. You don't. You're married. His inner voice echoes to go to Robin but he silences it and knows what he must do.

"Maybe I should do the same, but I don't think I can put myself through that torment. I'll try and get him help but I think we're done. Thanks for calming me down Patrick...It means alot" The hopes she barely knew she had are crushed. There was a glimmer of hope when Patrick mentioned that he was falling out of love, but he quickly showed her that they had no chance. He still loves Emily, and I don't know what would make me think otherwise. Still, her crying subdues and she decides to stay strong.

"I think we should hang up Robin. Emily should becoming up any moment ... Bye."

"Bye."

They linger for a moment, hands still grasping the phone tight, hoping, wanting, needing for the other to say something. But nothing comes and the lines go dead.

_A Little Later That Night_

Emily walks into their bedroom and hopes that Patrick can feel the guilt radiating from her. We've fought so often but I never mean to get him so mad. I hope he knows that. I'm sure we'll just talk it out and it'll be all settled tonight. No need to worry.

"Patrick, are you sleeping?"

"No," He says harshly. What does she want now, more arguing?

"Can you listen to me for one second without biting my head off? I'm trying to say I'm sorry for trying to tell you what to do. Its just that you were planning on operating on someone with HIV. You've taken that risk before and you were so close to being transmitted the disease. Who knows if it could happen again. Why can't you just stay away form patients like that? Is if because of Miss Holier-than-thou Robin that you've decided to become the champion of anyone with that disease. Is it really my fault for caring?" Emily says. 'That didn't go as I planned. Now I've started a fight with him all over again.'

"Get her name out of your mouth," Patrick says his quiet anger rising, "You being my wife does not give you the right to tell me what to do, and you sure as hell have no reason to talk about Robin. Its been over between me and her for a long time so you can stop your jealous tirade. Your beginning to smother me."

His words are a slap in the face to her, but ever the optimistic she decides to stick to the orginal plan and make up with him. "Whatever, lets just forget about that and make up," She starts to slowly massage his neck with her kisses and leans on top of him, pushing him down on the bed. She's eager to make love to him, knowing that it will validate her belief that no matter what happens they'll stick together. While these thoughts race through her head Patrick gently pushes her off him.

"I'm not in the mood tonight Emily," he responds, still livid, and with that he rolls his body away from her and goes to bed.

Emily sits up in bed and watches him while he sleeps, a look of disbelief on her face. She slowly leans on her back waiting for peaceful dreams to lull her to sleep. Yet all she can do is lie awake and wonder, how long has their relationship been driving toward the breaking point? And more important, when will it shatter into pieces?

A/N: So what do you think. I hope it wasn't to slow of a start but trust me, I have some really interesting plans on whats going to happen. Its just that if I don't build up enough it won't work out right. Hoped you liked the it review with some feedback. I'll review soon, but not before I get 2 or more reviews.


	2. Morning After

**Chapter Two: Morning After**

What if you knew that the love you felt for someone else wasn't the same as they felt about you? Would you let the lie go on and maintain the facade of true love, or would you end it now to stop your life from completely unraveling.

_Next Morning_

Emily wakes up to the rising sun and breathes in the cold fresh air. She rolls over to see if Patrick's awake only to find him gone. Frantic she jumps out of bed and begins to search through their home to find him.

He find did it. He finally walked out on me. But why wouldn't he tell me? Would he just leave in the middle of the night? No he wouldn't, he loves me...but who was he talking to last night? Patrick's been a Casanova most of his life, maybe he's gotten tired of me and decided to find someone else. Maybe he loved the chase more than me?

Just as this thought passes through her head, she sees Patrick in the kitchen making breakfast. He's clad in boxers, hair tousled, and his eyes tired and droopy. It brings a smile to her face and and makes her remember all the great mornings they've had together. She takes a deep breath and tries to relax.

"Good morning sleepyhead. I'm making your favorite, blueberry pancakes...Well, my favorite but you know you'll love it. These perfect hands are good for other things too you know,".He plasters a bright smile on his face and she smiles back timidly. I hope that this will be enough to just get over last night, Patrick thinks, I shouldn't have reacted how I did.

"It smells great so lets sit down and eat before we go to work,". She sits down and stares at him reading the paper, wondering what could cause the complete about face in his behavior. He looks up at her and sees her eyes searching his face.

"Emily",

"Patrick"

They say simultaneously and laugh. Their smiles fade and the conversation turns serious.

"I'll go first," Patrick starts, "I'm still mad at you for yesterday, and I'm going through with the operation whether you like it or not. Still, I was pretty harsh to you last night and I'm sorry. We've been going through rough times but we've been married for almost three years. We can do this, we just have to stay strong,".

Emily senses the tinge of reluctance in his voice but she plays along like nothings wrong. "Your right, I'm sorry too," she takes another sip of coffee and stands up from her seat. "I should go know before I'm late...I'll see you at work, Pat,"

With a kiss on the cheek she leaves and Patrick breathes a sigh of relief. See, you don't need Robin, you have someone at home for you already. You'd be dumb to leave her, even for someone as perfect as Robin. Patrick nods in reassurance and begins to get ready for work.

* * *

_Robin and Nikolas' apartment_

'That bastard deserves whats coming to him.'

Robin slams open the door to her and Nik's apartment. She had slept at Lainey's apartment and was returning home to speak to Nik, if thats what you would call it. Marching into their room with a smile on her face she dumps a bucket of cold water on her face. "Get the Fuck up, now Nikolas."

Sputtering water out of his mouth Nikolas gets up, his hangover overwhelming. "Robin baby, what are you doing?"

"How dare you call me baby, after I caught you with that slut Courtney. We've been married for more than two years and this is what I get? After I stuck with you through your alcoholism?

"But I'm sorry, come on Robin, lets talk about this later,"

"No, you need to get the fuck out of my house, now. Here, I'll help you pack,". Robin walks to the closet, seething, and begins to pick up Nikolas' clothes. She proceeds to open the window and throw his clothes out.

"Go back Wydomere, go to hell for all I care because I can't even look you in the face without feeling sick. You told me you loved me and it was all a lie. I don't need you, I never did," she yells, "its over between us, so just leave now before I do something I have no control of."

"You know that you can't even breathe without me. You'll be back," he slurs, "and you'll be lucky if I don't shake you off my feet while you're on your knees for me."

He stumbles toward the door and Robin slams the door on his face. She slowly sinks to the floor. All her confidence washes away and she feels like a scared little girl again. 'What am I going to do now?'

* * *

_General Hospital That Night_

The surgery was done and the surgical team was washing up in the locker room. As Patrick had predicted the operation went well and the HIV patients' life was prolonged. Patrick, Emily, Elizabeth, Robin, Epiphany and some other attendants were exhausted.

"You did great Pat. I'm so proud of you. You've become a better doctor than any of us could ever imagine," she kisses him lightly and and looks into his eyes only to find them gazing into Robin's brown orbs.

Robin leaves the room and seconds later Patrick pulls his gaze away from the door. "I'll be right back, Em, " and he follows Robin out the door.

He approaches her from behind, tapping her on the shoulder, causing her to slightly shudder.

"Robin," he says in a rush of words, "Hear me out. I know we only talked for a few minutes last night but it made me remember things i haven't felt in a while. I just can't ignore my feelings for you and spend my life wondering what if. Meet me tonight on the docks. I'll be waiting."

Robin nods and slowly walks out of the hospital speechless. 'It feels like another chapter of my life has begun, and I don't know if that's a good thing or not.'

* * *

**A/N**: I hope the start isn't too slow but don't worry, I have some ideas in the works. I just wanted to say thank you to all the readers and especailly those who reviewed. It helped me get on to updating alot quicker.

**cofeegurl15**: I'm glad you like it and yeah this story will have some Nem in it. You'll see how much soon.

**flowermeadow**: You're right its both.

**ILoveToWriteSMP**: Hope you keep reading to find out.

**carolannw5**: More Scrubs is definitely on the way.


	3. Cold, Starry Night

**Chapter 3: Cold, Starry Nights**

_The Docks_

Robin stood on the docks, head tilted to the sky, gazing at the beautiful, yet unreachable stars.

They're almost a symbol of love, she thinks, because it seems that whenever you find someone you love, forces keep you apart and even when they're right next to you, they couldn't seem any farther away.

I wonder what Nikolas is doing. Should I even care? I hate him so much right now so I just can't understand why I still worry about and still love him. And then there's Patrick.

He's married and its obvious that he loves Emily more than me. Whats not to love? She's beautiful, graceful, and such a nice person.Why did he even bring me here?

"Robin,". Patrick comes from behind her, his face serious. They both take a seat on the docks edge and for a few minutes stare into the icy depths of the water, speechless. wondering what to say next.

"So why are we here Patrick?"

"I don't think I know myself. So lets just sit here and talk like there's no tomorrow. We'll see where it takes us," Patrick responds, hopeful.

"So is your ego still as big as it always was, " she jokes, "because if it is, I'm not sure if theres enough room for us on the docks."

"Just because I know that I'm as hot as any guy can be and I'm perfect doesn't mean I'm conceited, and you know you love it," he fires back, causing her face to instantly illuminate. It feels as if no time has gone by at all.

"Maybe I do," she says, her smile still radiating from her, yet slowly diminishing into seriousness, "but I just have to know, do you ever wonder what could have been, if we would have stayed together four years ago? Do you think our love would have survived if we had tried harder?"

"I know it would. We were just too cocky to admit our petty mistakes and we've paid for it ever since. Our love could have set the world on fire. Who knows, maybe it still can."

"But I thought you still loved Emily?" Robin questions.

"I thought I did to, but in my heart of hearts I know that she was a substitute for you. We fight but, I can't blame it all on her. I think she knows that even though I care about her so much, I've always cared about you more. I'm surprised she doesn't resent me. I know I resent myself."

"But Patrick, you're a great guy. You would never cheat on Emily like Nikolas did to me and you've aways cared for her well being so deeply."

"What do you think we're doing now? I may not be sleeping with the first thing in a skirt, but emotionally, I'm not being fully faithful to her," Patrick responds.

"So what does this mean, where do we go from here?"

"Who knows? Fate does whatever it wants and if it wants us to be together, nothing, not even God, can stop us."

Robin shivers and he instinctively wraps his arms around her to warm her. She rests her head on his shoulders and he slowly runs his hand through her silky hair. She's comforted by his touch as she always was and for a little while no words are spoken. Nothing needs to be said.

Patrick tilts her head up to his and slowly, ever so gentle, he kisses her. The kiss is sweet, yet mind blowing, and before either realizes it, they deepen the kiss for a while until Patrick stops and caresses her cheek.

"I'm falling for you all over again, and maybe its wrong, but if I loving you is wrong than I don't want to be right."

And with that they become silently peaceful, knowing that they heard exactly what they wanted to hear...except those three words. But that was for another time, and they were content living just in the moment, not having to worry about anything else but each other and the cold, starry night."

So absorbed in each other, they fail to realize that they are not alone and someone is watching, hearing every word. Someone who would do anything, and everything, to keep them apart.

* * *

**A/N:** Wondering who's watching them right? Feel free to tell me who you think it is because that'll be interesting to know. The story's going to expand into some more Nikolas and Emily but I have a question: Is there anyone else who is somewhat connected to the four main characters that you'd like to see in the story? If I like your suggestion I'll probably put them in. 

Thanks again to all the readers and reviewers, I'm glad to see some new people are taking interest. You guys all are great because I didn't think my story would be received this well by the readers on fanfic. Thanks for telling me that at least, someone is liking it.

**coffeegurl5**: You're review was very sweet and I notice we think a lot alike when it comes to Courtney and Scrubs.

**paulanka1**: I'm glad you like it and I'll try to update fequently. I'm pretty busy with school, clubs, and volunteering though so sorry if I'm not always quick with updates.

**IlovetowriteSMP**: I really wanted Robin to show Nik the door and show a sign of strength by doing so. Thanks.

**carolannw5**: You're welcome. Don't hate Nik to much though because you'll be reading alot more of him.

**flowermeadow**: Thanks and don't worry, robin and patrick will stay the two most important characters.

**Ccmyworld**: I'm very glad you love it.


	4. Reminiscent of the Past

**Chapter Four: Reminiscent of Past Love**

So absorbed in each other, they fail to realize that they are not alone and someone is watching, hearing every word. Someone who would do anything, and everything, to keep them apart.

Emily turns away from the sight she sees and blanks out the rest of the conversation. Tears glistening in her eyes, she wishes she could go back in time and have left before she heard or saw all that she did. She tries to leave but for a while she feels that the sudden weight put on her shoulder is rendering her immovable. She feels as if she is doomed to watch this scene over and over for the rest of her life. To hear that he's falling in love with her...

Somehow, almost automatically, she goes to the person that she once loved with all her heart, body, and soul. Nikolas.

_Wyndemere_

She knocks on the door to Nikolas to see a very angry Courtney. More out of curiosity then concern she asks Courtney, "What the hell's wrong with you." She felt no love for this woman whatsoever and wasn't ashamed of her rudeness.

"Not that its any of your business, but Nik broke up with me," Courtney replies.

"Is that what they call it now? Dating? Because I could have sworn you were just his slut on the side. He must have been really drunk to sleep with you again." Her long held hatred begins to overshadow her despair.

"Bitch."

"After all that I've been through Courtney, being a bitch is something I don't mind at all. Just leave, you're not wanted here.."

Courtney leaves the property in a huff and Emily goes inside the living room to find a somewhat sober Nikolas. She goes to him giving him a deep hug, and all the feelings she had curtailed for a while, come flooding back. I know with Nik I'm safe to bear all my feelings and thoughts. I just need someone to talk to.

"What's wrong, Em," he says slowly, "I know that I have some serious problems but I never thought I'd see you crying in my arms again. What happened to Dr. Hottie, aren't you still madly in love with him?

"I still am, but obviously I'm not good enough and I never was," she says quietly, "he's with Robin right now."

"Robin, my Robin? There's no way. She still loves me and I was there to pick up the pieces when those two ended years ago,"Nikolas begins to get angry, "I know I cheated, but instead of trying to work things out she wants to cheat right back? So much for the 'sanctity' of marriage. and since when are you not good enough."

He's changed so much, Emily thinks. He drinks more and is easy to anger but there's still something in the soft way he looks at me that has never changed

"Trust me, it was Robin and whats worse than him cheating is the fact that I think he's falling in love with her. He told her that even though he loved me once, I was just a replacement for Robin. I couldn't even do that right. We need to somehow stop them. " she says the bitterness in her voice obvious.

"Isn't it ironic. Our spouses falling in love with each other while we're standing here with thinking of nothing but them. Where does that leave us?" They ponder that thought for a while but the small glimmer of love in their hearts is something that neither are ready to admit.

"I don't know Nikolas. I just feel like I'm beginning to drown in the thought of Patrick loving someone else but me. Why don't we just talk about something, anything else but this. Remind me of the times when life was carefree and everything was possible. Remind me of when I thought I loved you " he acquiesces and immediately sits on the couch offering her a seat near him. She rests her head on her shoulder in what is almost a cuddle and they reminisce on the good times they had oh so long ago.

"Once upon a time there was a beautiful young maiden that went to a Bacchanalia. She danced with the prince she had fallen for and in what seemed like hours, he spun her around again and again until it felt like there was no one else in the room but each other. It was on that day that the young prince began to realize how strongly he felt for the princess and..." he looks at Emily and realizes she had fallen completely asleep. He knows he should wake her but decides to wait just a little while. It's been so long since I've seen her sleep...

* * *

_General Hospital_

The next day, Emily, Patrick, Robin, and Nikolas wake up and go about their daily business. Robin and Patrick still oblivious to the fact that what's become their secret love affair, is no longer so secret. They sit in the caf eating lunch in a manner anything but quiet.

"...you have a little stain on your abs Patrick, your chocolate fudgcicle must have dripped,"

"Of course you would notice, you haven't taken your eyes of me all day, but don't worry, it happens to women all the time."

" I was not,"

"Was too," and with a giggle he smears his chocolate fudgsicle on her button sized nose causing her charming laugh to sound once more. 'She so cute when he laughs and when I'm with her I feel carefree. It feels like it just me and her in the room.'

"Get it of Patrick," she playfully whines and a softer look comes across Patrick's eyes.

That can be arranged," he places her face next to hers, real close, and his tongue darts out his mouth as if he would lick it off in an instant. something resonates inside him though, 'we're in public, I need to stop.' So he reaches for a napkin instead and wipes it off. Their conversation level tampers of a bit, making it difficult for any onlookers to overhear.

'I have to tell Em whats going on,' Elizabeth thinks, 'She won't believe this.' She walks towards the desk she knows Emily is, and is shocked to see the sight of her friend.

I haven't noticed how tired and weak she's looked lately. Almost like she was hit by a truck or--or found out her husband was leaving her. Let me stop speculating and just talk to her. She calls Emily to sit in the open lounge and with a questioning glance she agrees.

"Em, I don't mean to see like I'm butting into your marriage by what I'm going to say. But we're best friends and I saw Patrick with Robin today --" she's cut off by Emily's voice.

"I already know what's your going to say Liz," Em slowly replies to her friend as if wondering what to say, "and as much as its hard to admit, its only a matter of time before Patty leaves me, for Robin." And its all my fault, the echo in her mind silently repeats.

* * *

_GH Roof_

"Remember when we would come up here at night? we'd be stressed out from so many thing but whenever we came up here together, talked, and watched the stars or snow fall, everything seemed better," robin reminisces.

"It wasn't the roof that made things better though, it was us simply being together and knowing that when it was us against the world, we would always win... Robin I have somewhere I want you to go with me."

I wonder what he's talking about, Robin thinks. Where would he want to take me? Patrick responds. almost reading her mind, before she has time to ponder the trip any longer.

"Well I would tell you, but that would ruin the surprise. Just meet me at Kelly's next week Friday, and we'll go from there. I guess we should go back inside before anyone realizes where we're gone."

"Okay, I'll see you later," With that, Robin walks out the door, reminding Patrick of the many times that he let her walk away. It won't happen again, he vows, I won't let her go.

* * *

**A/N: **Thank you allso much for the awesome reviews. They help me update even sooner. For everyone confused on what happened in the past of this story a long explanation will come in the next chapter and another character will be introduced.

**IlovewriteSMP**: you're ideas were better than my but I had to put some Nem in so it had to be Emily.

**lorilou783**: I'm glad this story interest and I doubt you'll have to wait long for any chapter if you want to read more.

**gymkidz2000**: Yeah I like Nem and definitely wanted to put them in.

**RandyJohnGirl**: I'm glad I'm not boring you.

**banana88**: I like happy ending to and glad you liked it.

**maliek**: I'm glad that you love it and I really like Scrubs too.

**carolannw5**: Thanks, I hope I don't lose my direction anytime soon but I have an idea of where I'm going with this.

**coffeegurl**: There going to have some definite problems but i think it'll be a good thing. The history is coming in the next chapter.

**flowermeadow:** I like your idea and I thinl I'll end up using Liz more and throwing Carly in somehow.


	5. Over My Head & This Love

**Chapter Five: Over My Head/This Love**

_Patrick and Emily's House_

Its funny the way life truly flashes before your eyes. You wake up and realize that in what seems like an instant everything has changed, including yourself. You begin to question the paths you've taken in life and you wonder, is theres anyway to go back to when I was happy?

Four years ago, Emily thinks, I was still reeling from losing Sonny when I found love with Patrick. All that time spent as his intern was bound to strengthen the bond of friendship we had and make it even more. Our relationship began on a whirlwind after he broke up with Robin; they felt they were getting too close to something they weren't ready for. Even though for months they felt they were truly in love, they fought to much for either to take. It seems everytime things were going well insecurities, petty arguing, and everything else would get in their way.

At the start I coldn't help but wonder if he was just on the rebound, and wanted someone, anyne to take Robin's spot. Still, it was the way he looked at me that helped me realize that we had the real thing. In 2007 we married and even though we went through hard times we stuck it out through it all...even after I lost Leora, our daughter. We were always so happy and completely in love...until now.

On the other side of Port Charles, after the birth of her son Alex with Jax, Nik left Coutney. Like Robin he buried himself in his work until one day, Elizabeth and Kelly set him up on a blind date with Robin. Although reluctant and timid at first, they slowly beame friends and eventually, lovers. Nik helped her remember that love still existed in the world and her heart deserved to feel it.

After Helena disapeared once again, their life slipped into more peaceful zone. Life was perfect for all four of us, all until Laura slipped back into her catatonic state and Nikolas began drinking away his pain. Robin begged him to just stop and let her help him but he saught comfort with Courtney instead. And then, something brought her together with Patrick, leading to where they were now.

Even though she knows all this she can't help but wonders, 'How the hell did we get here?'

All these thoughts went through her head Thursday night and sleep became impossible. She couldn't help but rolI around in the empty king size bed that was hers and Patricks and wonder what he was doing. Was he really at work or was he just lying again? For all she knew he could be with her.

I wish I was different and didn't stress about things as much as I do, but I can't change who I am. When things go wrong the problem becomes my life and all I think about is how to fix it. I've been like that all my life. When anyone had a problem, The Quartemaines, Liz, and so many others, I'd take the problem upon myself and do anything I could to help. But now that I'm in trouble, who's here to help me? Who's here to keep my life from shattering into pieces? No one, thats right, no one.

All these issue were beginning to make her feel sick and helpless so she curled up in a ball and tried to will the sandman her Mom Paige used to sing about to bring her to sleep.

Yet sleep never came. She got up at five and lethargically threw her blue scrubs on, putting her hair in a loose ponytail. She wasn't in the mood to beautify herself. She just wanted to go to work and get it over with. She had enough to worry, but she could get through it as long as it didn't get worse.

_GH_

She pushed through the General Hospital doors and rode the elevator up to the fifth floor. After finding out her schedule for the day, she walked briskly to room 101 for a routine checkup when she saw Robin and Patrick walking out the supply closet. Unoticed, she wached them move their way to the elevator doors and staring after them. She couldn't believe what she just saw.

Or maybe she could. Its not like I don't know we have problems, and even though we cover them up to make it seem like we're the perfect couple, we're not fooling anyone--we're just not. A voice in the back of her head tells her that maybe they were innocently getting something out of the closet, but it is immeditaly overuled by anothe,r louder voice.

Stop being so naive, Emily. Its not like you haven't seen this before. People come out of the closet with smeared make up an tousled hair like they did and you know whats gone on. What else would they be doing, playing charades?

I should have stopped them and told them that I whats going on but wouldn't that make it worse?

If I was a better wife he wouldn't need her, and I'd be enough but I'm always doing something wrong, I'm never good enough.

All these voices simultaneously speak inside her mind and she realizes that she's completely in over her head.Her life was slippping through the cracks.

She wiped away the tears that automatically slip through her brown eyes and tells herself that she can handle this. She become such a stronger person than she was so many years ago so this should be easier. She tries to focus on the task at hand, work, but its just all to much for her and before she knows it, everything goes black. She sinks into the depth of her despair, wishing that life could be perfect again...if it ever was.

* * *

_Highway_

Its a bright Friday afternoon and Patrick and Robin zoom through the highway with the wind in their hair and the road ahead of them. Patrick is sporting his hair slighty spiky, and wearing a nicely fitted black shirt with denim jeans. Robin is wearing a pink shirt, a skirt, and an oddly bright blindfold. They've been driving for a while now but ike always, it feels like no time has gone by at all.

"Where are we going? Are we there yet? Can I take of the blindfold, Is there-

"What's with the twenty-one questions. Didn't I say this was going to suprise? That kinda means I can't tell you, Robin" Even though he feigns annoyment he can't help but let his exberance shine through and he grins knowing she can't see him. I lovs our banter and slight arguments because I knows that its all done in love. From the eyes of an outsider, one would think that we got along badly but little did they know that they were perfect for eachother, in every sense of the word. Their hearts were always matched, even when they didn't know it, and they linked perfectly in hand for a reason. If only love could go so perfectly, no problems, just you ans the one you love? But life was never life that was it.'

"Patrick are you listening? I was trying to tell you that you should put some music on but it seems you got lost in your thought," she says more seriously, "what were you thinking about?"

Patrick takes a deep breath and is reluctant to let her know whats on his mind knowing that its too soon. So he changes the subject and says, "That's a good idea lets put on the radio." He turns the dial a few times and ands on the station that he knows plays throwbacks anywhere from a year to 40 years old. He turns up the volume and "This Love" comes on a song by Maroon 5.

**"This love has taken its toll on me  
She said Goodbye too many times before  
Her heart is breaking in front of me  
I have no choice 'cause I won't say goodbye anymore  
Oh... Oh.. wo.."**

Unepectantly Robin begins to belt out the song knowing it word from word. Reluctant at first he begins to join along ntil the song is over and they're laughing about what just happened."

Wow, Patrick. I think you just might have the worst voice I've ever heard in my life," Robin says, her voice filled with laughter

"'Ill have you know that I tried out for American Idol and could of made it if weren't for that ass Simon. He must have been jealous," he says somewhat seriously but atill a bit sarcastic.

"Oh yeah, I bet,"

"Don't sound so sarcastic, I'll have you know that I could've been the next-" He is immeadiately cut of by Robin's voice.

"--William Hung. I could imagine you up there singing 'She bangs, she bangs, oh baby.' Stick to your good points. What those are I'm not exactly sure but I'm sure you'll figure out something" Robin says.

"Hardee har hat, that was so funny Robin" he says sarcasticlly

"You know whats even funnier, Patrick?" The laughter is gone and is replaced by a loving voice, tinged wit apprehension.

"What?" What could be so important that she has to tell me now, he wonders.

Pulling off her blindfold she takes a deep breath and decides to tell him what's been on her mind for a while. Here it goes, she thinks, its now or never. "I think I'm falling in love with you again."

He looks her in the eyes and is frozen. He knows whats on his mind but it won't come out oof his mouth. He's stuck gaping at her and she worries that he won't feel the same.

So into eachother, they forget that they are still driving. Horns blast, and they look up to see a white truck coming their way. No screams, or possible last words are said but then again, nothing needs to be. They know whats on eachothers minds. He grabs the wheel, she grabs him, and in an instant they feel their lives flash before their eyes. At least, they think, we're together.

* * *

**A/N:** Sorry it took alot longer to update. I tried to update by Sunday but headaches, homework, my sister's car crash (she's okay) and so many other things wouldn't let me. Enough excuses though, I have an idea. How about we do good point, bad point. Reviewers, try and say something you like about my story and one thing that could be better. Its optional but it would help alot. And if my grammar was bad, I'm sorry but I don't have spellcheck. Thank you all so much for reading and reviewing. XOXO 

**ILovetowriteSMP**: Thanks. I know this chapter had no nik but the next chapter definately will

**gymkidz2000**: I'll tell you that at least one couple will end up happy. Where's is the Scrubs message board, I like your idea of joing that. Thanks

**lorilou783**: I hope I answered your question and if not tell me in you review or Pm me. I'll try and fix it. Thanks

**carolannw5**: Thanks but sorry I dodn't update very soon

**flowermeadow**: Your reviews along with the others always help. And I'll just tell you whats done to try and stop SCrubs from happening will be pretty big.

**coffeegurl5**: Your welcome and thanks alot for all your reviews.


	6. Life Goes On, Or Does It?

**Chapter 6: Life Goes On. Or Does It?**

It's a lie that life flashes before your eyes. 

For Patrick, only two people, the most important, were on his mind. 

First he thought of Emily's shining eyes that have enchanted him, yet brought him so much pain in the past years. He knew that when he looked in her eyes he could read her every emotion and she could do the same. They have been through so many feelings of pain, hate...love. In another lifetime they may have been perfect but in this one they've just clashed too much. She would always have a part of his heart yet even he wasn't sure of how much she would hold. 

And then there was Robin. What could he say about her sparkling smile and vibrant personality? He had loved her once and was falling for her now. It could have all been perfect if they would have stayed together but after so many years there was bound to be problems. Sometimes he wished that he could start all over again and instead of letting her go, take her in his arms and make her his forever. He hoped that one day he could tell her that he just might possibly one day love her; that he made his heart skip a beat, He wanted to explore his feelings, but death doesn't care what you want. 

All this races through his mind in the matter of seconds and he wishes that he would get just one more chance to do all that and more. This time, he vows, he wouldn't take life or time for granted. 

Luckily, he got his wish. 

The car spins at least two times but the sleek metal of Patrick's car never meets that of the bulky white truck. The greasy driver of the other car shakes his fists at Patrick and begins spouting of a sundry of curses in broken English before he drives off. The two inhabitants of the car fail to realize this and silently pull over to a beautiful beach not to far away. 

Hand in hand they walk towards the soft sand and sit upon the red blanket that Patrick spreads across the floor. He puts down the breakfast basket in his hand and though he offers her food both of them have temporarily lost their appetite. Its cold outside so Patrick takes the extra blanket and side by side they sit with the blanket wrapped around their shoulder. Patrick is the first to speak. 

"Robin, its okay, we're okay." He envelops her in a hug and tries to show her that she doesn't have to be strong in front of him. Her body relaxes in his. 

"I know, its just that for a second I thought it was over for us, even though we're just starting to become friends; maybe more. I got so scared, but being here with you is making me feel a lot better. I'm okay," she gives him a wavering smile and he realizes that soon she'll be fine and back to herself. She just needed time to let it all sink in. 

Now that we've gotten all that out of the way, what do I tell her. She says she loves me and if I'm true to myself I'll admit I'm not there yet. I don't want to hurt her but lying to her is worse. I think I need to just let out my feelings and hope she understands. Here it goes. 

"Robin how do you think I feel about you?" 

She's hesitant at first and she too wonders if she's spoken to soon. 

"I told you Patrick, I love you, but the last time I told you that you almost got us into a car crash. I'm guessing you don't feel the same," her voice starts to speed up as she tries to take it all back, "I know what you think, I'm crazy, I must have just been feeling happy today, and the words came out, but I didn't mean it, not that I don't love you, but I'm crazy to think it so soon, and I'm sorry if I scared you--. 

She's cut off by is incessant, laughter. 

"What, it's not funny," she says indignantly, "I'm trying to let out my feelings and all you can do is laugh. I'm trying to be candid here and- 

"Robin you're rambling," 

"I am not." 

He smirks at her obvious denial "You know how you get when you feel embarrassed or worry. You could ramble on and on for days if some didn't stop you. Luckily for you, I'm here to tell you to mellow out and take a deep breath," she does just that and he goes on, "I care about you Robin, I really do, but we're going to fast. We messed up last time and if anythings going to happen between us, we need to just let fate take its course and slow down. I don't want us to rush us into something that's going to hurt us and the people we're married to." 

She lets his words sink in and slowly his words resonate somewhere in her heart. She nods slowly and looks him in the eye. "You're right Patrick. We've had our fair share of heart ache and we don't need more. Plus I've known Emily since we were kids and when she loved Nikolas. We'll take it slow and see where fate takes us." 

"You know what we're both free today so why don't we get closer to the water?" 

"Are you crazy, do you know how cold it'll be?" 

"Trust me." He stands up and offers his hand to her and she takes it. They walk to the edge of the clear blue water and marvel at it for a little while. They're sitting on the edge of the water, the water barely grazing there toes when Robin gets a mischievous smirk on her face. She splashes the cold water on Patrick face and he looks at her with shock. That fades into a smile when he splashes her right back; They go back and forth until Patrick picks her up, one had under the back of her knees and the other beneath her underarms. 

"Patrick, no," she yells with glee, "don't do it. I swear if you throw me in I will get the ultimate pay back." 

"Is that so, gets ready to pretend to throw her in when his phone rings. He answers it simply because it may be something important. 

"It's Jason; get your ass to GH, now. Emily needs you" he says with his monotone voice. 

"I'll be right there," he closes his cellular and Robin looks at him with a questioning glance. He explains what Jason said and they immediately pack up and get to the hospital.

* * *

_General Hospital_

Emily lies on the hospital bed, an IV running through her. Dressed in the standard white and blue hospital gown, she looks completely different from when he last saw her. Her face is pale and she looks fragile and weak; like she's ready to shatter at any moment, or already has. 

As Jason looks on he can't help but wonder, 'What's happened to my little sister and why haven't I been here for her more?' 

The steady beating of her heart monitor slightly discomforts him and though he feels unnerved by it, he is slightly comforted that it shows she's still okay. The door creaks open and though he turns his head to see whose entreating, he doesn't let go of his sister's hand. He prepares himself for the boisterous Quartermaines at first but sees it's only Sam, his wife, with two coffee cups in hand. She passes one to him and he barely sips it before putting it down. 

His icy blue eyes linger on Emily for a moment more and then turn to Sam who has now taken a seat near him. "How are you holding up Jase?" 

"As good as I can be, seeing that my little sister is lying in a hospital bed and they haven't told me what's wrong with her yet." 

"She'll be okay, Jase. She's a fighter, just like you," 

"Physically, I know she'll be okay, but emotionally, I can't help but think, there's something more going on. And if Patrick's the reason she's here, I swear to God he'll be dead before he knows what hit him," he says this with a finality and strength that tell her he's completely serious. "I'm probably just over reacting. I just need some more time alone with her Sam. 

She nods and walks out, worried about him, but knowing that he needs space. She wished that his threats were false, but knowing Jason she wonders what Jason would do. She knows that the love that bonds Emily and Jason has always been deep and he'll do anything to protect her. She admires the love between them, but still, she worries that he just might go too far. Jason is still holding Emily's hand when, minutes later, she wakes up. 

"Jason, why am I here?" 

"We're not sure but you fainted not to long ago and due to your history the doctors are worried about you." 

"No, I'm fine, I just have to-" while she says this she tried to get out of the bed and pull the IV out only to be stopped by Jason's steady hand. He calms her down and before she knew it, he envelops her in a hug. She sinks into him and her spirits rise, just a little. He realizes that she needs to stay in bed. 

"What was that for Jase?" 

"You looked like you needed it," he replies in his quiet tone staring at her with his steely blue eyes. 

"How is it that you always seem to be there for me whenever I need you? That you're still my rock?" 

"Because even though we might not be related by blood we're still connected, and I love you." It's always been so comfortable between them and when any problems faced them in life, they knew that in each other, they would find refuge. 

"There's seems to be something else going on though, Emily, what's wrong?" 

She hastily changes the subject, "So how is my beautiful niece Rose today?" 

His first daughter outs a light to his face and he says, "You know she did the cutest thing today she was playing outside and, wait. You're changing the subject. You know you can trust me, what's going on with you?" 

"Don't worry Jason. Its nothing I can't handle and if I need you, trust me, I won't be afraid to ask," she reassures him. A knock sounds at the door and the Cassidine prince enters the room, asking for a minute with Emily. Jason leaves and they begin to converse. 

"How are you?" 

"Okay I think, but you seem more contemplative then usual. What's on your mind?" 

"I'm here to make sure your okay. Not so you can get all worked about my problems." Knowing that she wasn't going to drop the subject he finally replied. "I miss Robin. I've been going to AA and I've been sober for a few days but she won't return any of my phone calls. 

In her head she thinks, why does everyone like Robin so much, what's so great about her? Yet out loud she tells him, "Maybe she'll forgive you, just give her time." She can play fake so well sometimes and say things she doesn't mean. She plays the role of the supportive friend, like always, even though she's sick of it. 

She gives him a long, reassuring hug, not knowing that Patrick is watching in the window. 

--------- 

Patrick had rushed to Emily's room, leaving Robin in the waiting area. He was ready to walk into her room, but seeing her with Nikolas through her room window stops him. 

Its not that he's against hugs, but so many emotions arise form seeing them together and unknowningly, he feels like Emily does too. It causes him to remember things they've tried to bury, remember the times he felt betrayed... remember the time when he felt his heart break. 

A far away look shadowing his eyes, he remembers the past. 

------------ 

_Flashback_

_"Keep 'em coming Coleman," says Emily. _

_"Alright baby doll,"_

_Emily leans over the bar table with a shot in hand. Her voice is slurred with alcohol, and slowly, she reaches her goal, of not feeling anything. She's not there yet, though, she needs more._

_Not to far away sits Nikolas, just as drunk as her, if not worse. Boy we're going to feel like crap, she thinks, but is that any different from how we feel sober?_

_She almost laughs when she thinks about what's been going on in her life. Barely a month ago, she was happy, truly happy, and was experiencing her first pregnancy. A little girl they said, and she had no doubts that Leora would be strong and healthy. Giving birth was the one of the most painful experiences of her life but she knew it would all be worth it, when she got to hold to hold her little girl. But as soon as she born she was rushed to the corner of the room. The baby was silent, and even with Patrick's help nothing could be done. Out of the hundreds of patients that Patrick had saved, why couldn't she be one of them? That was a week ago, yet still she felt raw. Nothing anyone could say would help._

_"Life sucks," she slurs, turning to Nikolas._

_"Don't I know it, my mom's rocking in a chair right now, catatonic because that damn LS49 couldn't w-work. And I know your lives pretty horrible right now."_

_"Don't even remind me," Emily tells Nikolas, "I didn't come here to f-feel. I came to get drunk and have some fun."_

_"Well, let's play some tool - I mean pool."_

_They walk up to the pool table, a little wobbly, and play one horrible game of pool. They end up swinging the pool cues like bat and causing the balls to fly everywhere. At one point, Nikolas even grabs Emily and places a long, sloppy kiss on her. It lengthens and at one point he even stutters that she's hot when she's drunk. They walk upstairs and before she knows it she's in bed with him and their clothes are being thrown on the floor. She can't fully remember how they got to this point but she's to drunk to care. Secretly she might admit to herself, that she wants Patrick to feel the same pain she's felt in the past week. She wants his heart to bleed._

_She doesn't make love to Nikolas, she knows that. Its just sex with no love or feelings attached. It's just another way for them to forget the bad parts of their lives and to escape from it all. She was expecting to regret it, but she didn't expect what happened next._

_"Bitch," the cold voice rings out in the room and she turns to see Patrick staring back at her._

_His eyes tear up and his heart can't fully handle seeing them in bed together. She gets up, putting a sheet around her body and pulls him into the hallway to talk. Her head's still fuzzy but she's starting to realize how bad she's screwed up._

_"What the hell are you doing in bed with him," he says quietly. He puts his head in his hands and he can barely stand the sight of her. He is completely and utterly disgusted._

_"I just wanted some fun. I wanted to not feel the pain for one night. Is that so freakin' awful, that I can't handle things?"_

_"But, I thought we were going to work this out together. How could you do this after all we've been through?"_

_"How could you let our daughter die?"_

_He freezes and her words cut deep into his heart. He already blamed himself and for her to say such things truly stung. She realizes the effect of words and tries to take them back, but once the words are out, nothing can take them back._

_"No, no, no. I didn't mean it Patrick, I swear I didn't."_

_"I look into your eyes and I know you do blame me, I blame myself too. What are you still doing Emily; go back and fuck you're ex husband like the whore you are. Its over." He had never spoken to a woman in his life like this, but yet he had never been in this situation. He storms out of Jake's while she sinks into the floor. Her tears, a symbol of the realization of her actions._

_End Flashback_

Looking into her window, he remembers and he knows it still hurts. He remembers how hard it was for them to get over all this and he realizes maybe I never did get over it. He remembers the difficult choice he had to make. Robin was naïve of what happened. He was going to tell her, at work, the next day. The afternoon he was going to tell her, he couldn't find the heart to. He saw her walking of the elevator with a rose in her hand, sadly smiling. He knew the moment she found out she would be hurt and he couldn't see her like that. He didn't want her to relive the past. When Jason cheated on her and slept with Carly, Robin was devastated. She left the country and went to Paris for a little vacation to see Brenda. Maybe it was best not to tell. He thought it would be best if he carried the burden alone. I can't help but feel some resentment towards Emily no matter how had I try not to. I just can't forget. 

Nikolas walks out of Emily's room, just as Dr. Lulu walks in. Fully shaken out of his reveries he follows right behind her." 

"Dr. Emily Quartermaine-Drake, I see you took quite a fall when you passed out today." 

"Yes I did," Emily responds, "but I'm fine now. I can go home right?" 

An uneasy look comes upon the doctor's face and she pauses before speaking again. 

"I'm sorry to inform you, but I have some bad news..."

* * *

A/N: Hoped you liked this chapter. I know it was a long wait but I got the feeling that people weren't liking chapter 5 much so I got a BETA at the Scrubs board that helped alot. So tell me what you think, whatever it is. And if you have any suggestions, feel free to throw them out. As always thank you to the readers and reviewers, you guys are great. I hope you all have a fantastic weekend. 

coffegurl5: Glad you like both couples, just like me. Thank you for the fantastic review 

ILovetowritesmp: Thanks for the awesome review. I always like hearing what people liked the most. 

lorilou783: Glad it helped and thanks. 


	7. We'll Never Be

**Chapter Seven: We'll Never Be**

_GH: Emily's Room  
_  
"I'm sorry to inform you, but I have some bad news..."

Patrick, already beside Emily, puts her arm around her and gently brings her closer to him. He wants her to know that he's here for her, and they brace themselves for the news. Dr. Lulu goes on, "The test results we've performed today have been stolen by an unknown person. Though we suspect that the breast cancer may be back, we feel no need to worry you at this time with the grim possibility." Patrick and Emily look at each other with question in their eyes, both wondering who would have tampered with the results.

"So when can we find out what's wrong with me?" Emily questions still worried of what lays ahead in her near future.

"We'll draw blood samples again today but it will take a few days longer because we want to make sure that everything is done right. Until then, you can go home as long as you take care of yourself." Dr. Lulu draws some blood samples and then promptly leaves the room leaving Patrick and Emily alone to talk.

"Are you really okay?" Patrick asks her, even though he notices that the color has come back to her face. Still, he is worried and the fact that today he was planning on breaking up with her temporarily leaves his mind. Even though some may think him a cold, detached man, he knows that in his heart he can't leave her at a time like this.

"I am, and if not, I will be. Don't worry, about me," she says giving him a grateful yet worried smile. "What I do know is that I want to get out of here now," she says getting up out of the bed and putting the clothes that Jason brought for her. While she gets dressed, Patrick gets a wheel chair and opens the door just as she is hopping into her shoes. She looks down at Patrick, then down to the wheelchair, and back to him again like he is insane. "You must be insane if you think I'm leaving the hospital in that thing. I can walk fine thank you." He laughs at her stubbornness and insists once more that she get in.

"Why should I?" she asks, suspicious of his motives. She looks at him and wonders why he's still here. After seeing him this morning in the closet with Robin she figured they were over. She can't help but wonder if he's trying to push her off the same cliff twice. To make her feel that he still loved her, just to leave her when Robin came by again. Even though she thinks this, she knows she still loves him and just leaves things as they are, hoping for more.

"Trust me," he says, his words meaning more than he can know, "I'll make it worth your while." With that they leave the room with smile on there faces, keeping up the facade that their love is perfect.

* * *

_GH: Nurses Station  
_  
Robin stands at GH's nurses station, searching through the files of her patient's today. Dressed in green scrubs, her brown hair free, she pauses for a moment to look back out the picture perfect window and watch the snow fall. She wonders why life can't be as simple as the falling snow that simply drops, beautifully, one snow flake at a time.

She turns her attention to her files and notices that the files of Emily Drake have been mixed up with hers. She turns to give them back to Epiphany but instinctively stops and peers into them. I shouldn't do this, she thinks, it's none of my business to find out what's wrong with her. Still, as the daughter, of two spies she has the insatiable need to know what goes on in every one's lives. Some may call it nosiness but she deems it a healthy curiosity. She glances into the file to find it empty. A questioningly look falls onto her face and she wonders what happened to Emily's results.

"Curiosity killed the cat, you know," the booming voice of Epiphany Johnson makes Robin realizes that she's been caught in the act.

Blushing she manages to stammer, "But, I was just--"

"You were just being nosy. For your information, her test results were stolen," Epiphany says, giving her usual attitude with a hint of kindness.

"Stolen? But who would have the motive or any reason to do that? Maybe one of Jason's enemies using her possible illness to get back at him?"

"I don't know child, but then again it's not any of our business to find out. Now get to work," Epiphany slowly goes to begin her hospital rounds.

Still perplexed over what she's just heard, Robin bites the tip of her pencil and continues to leaf through her papers when a deliver boy comes in handing her a large bouquet of flowers, including a note.

Lilacs, her favorite, she thinks, and she opens the cars and begins to read it. 'Meet me the cabin tomorrow night. I'll make it worth your while.' It must be Patrick she assumes and is standing there smiling when she hears an awfully loud racket coming from her right.  
She turns to see Patrick swerving Emily around in her wheelchair, his inner child coming about. Emily laughs all the way as he continues to speed to the elevator.

"Patrick, you can stop know, we're still in a hospital,"

"Didn't I tell you that I would make it worth your while," he replies, giving her that charismatic smile of his, "Patrick Drake always delivers."

Robin watches silently, a mere onlooker and can't help but be confused by Patrick. 'Today he told me he might love me again one day, and I knew I felt something that was real. Even though he seemed kind of confused, I figured it was bound to be over between those two.

Seeing them together makes me doubt it though. He looks so happy with her and that's something I haven't noticed for a while. What does it mean? Does he still love her? Maybe I was wrong to think we had a chance. I can't wonder what if though, I'm going to the cabin tomorrow night.' She gazes once more at the falling snow and wishes that everything in life could be as simple.

* * *

_Metro Court_

Patrick and Emily sit across the table from each other, and for the first time in while, they are without words. They have everything and nothing to say to each other all at the same time, yet they can't seem to get the words out. He wonders when it became this hard. He looks at her once more and he notices how great she looks today. She glitters in a little black dress and her hair shines in big, silky curls. Her legs seemingly go on for miles, yet despite all this, her best feature is her eyes. He notices the sparkle in her eyes is gone and he hopes that somehow she gets it back. He knows he won't be the one to bring it back though.

"Why don't we dance," Patrick suggests and he gets up holding his hand out to her, she grabs it and follows him up onto the now covered roof. The music continues and without realizing it, they begin to dance to a song that has become the story of their life.

**Then I see you standing there  
Wanting more from me  
And all I can do is try  
Then I see you standing there  
I'm all I'll ever be  
And all I can do is try oh try  
Try... Try... Try... Try**

**All of the moments that already passed  
We'll try to go back and make them last  
All of the things we want each other to be  
We never will be, we never will be  
And that's wonderful, that's life  
That's you baby  
This is me baby  
We are, we are, we are, we are, we are, we are  
Free  
In our love  
We are free in our love**

"I didn't think it would be like this," Emily whispers to Patrick.

"Like what?" he asks, knowing the answer.

"I thought we would ride of into the sunset like a fairytale and we would always be together. How could I be so wrong?"

"It's not your fault, don't ever think that. We're just two different people who are bound to have some problems along the way."

"But do we even have a chance," she asks and he doesn't know what to tell her.

He looks at her, and for a second he remembers the woman she used to be. The one whose ready smile could always light up a room; the one whose jokes always missed the punch lines yet still made him laugh; the one that could make them feel like they were the only two people in the world; the one that could reel him in without even trying. He remembers this and the words come out without his thoughts or effort.

"I promise to try."

"Don't say it if you don't mean it. Especially when you know it." she says earnestly, "I see that you want more from me and I try to be good enough, you can't know how much. But I see you looking at me and wanting her, you can't know how much that hurts. Maybe we'll just never be who we want each other to be; maybe thats how its meant to be."

He sees her giving up on them and though he can't blame her. He can't help but wish they could go back to the moments that brought them true happiness. He doesn't tell this to her and instead gives another suggestion.

Giving up he says, "Why don't we just go home, its getting late,"

She nods and they leave the Metro Court. Only inches away from each other, they can't help but feel a world apart. Little did they know that it would only get

* * *

_Patrick and Emily's House_

The clock reads 2 AM and Emily and Patrick lay fast asleep. The moon casts light on their tired faces the snow continues to fall outside. Dreams run through each of their heads, causing them to toss and turn, yet all is well until the dream worsens.

_She imagines herself, slowly wasting away in the small hospital bed. Unbearable pain seethes through her body and near blind, the world as she knows it is perpetually blurry. She feels like she wants just let go, die, yet she yearns for Patrick to be with her. She looks up and sees him with Robin, hungrily, passionately, making out with her.  
"Patrick, what are you doing? You're my husband" she whispers, so tired she can barely form the words. _

"I'm leaving you, the town whore, for Robin, isn't it obvious?"

So confused, she searches for someone else for her to talk to through these moments and sees the Quartemaines to her left. She reaches out to them, yet they briskly walk away.

"You're adopted Emily, your not even our real family, why should we care about you?" The tears begin to drop from her eyes and she desperately searches for someone, anyone else to reach out to and there she finds Nikolas, the man who was once her night in shining armor.

"Nikolas, I need you. I can't take this any more."

"I'm sick of your problems Emily, why don't you just leave me alone." He walks out of the room and she is lays in her bed all alone, with no one to comfort her. The breast cancer hurts her even worst then before and she knows it's finally over. She looks up to the ceiling and strives to find the light, yet there is nothing. Simply darkness.

'So this is how it ends,' she wonders, and within in seconds, she finds out just that. Dying a pitiful death, she realizes that she's always been all alone.

Emily wakes up screaming, in a cold sweat, repeating that she can't die. She barely realizes it's just a dream until Patrick shakes her, fully waking her up. He looks at her and sees her fear and unbelievable stress and tries to talk to her, hoping it'll help.

"It was just a nightmare, you awake now,"

"But it was so real Patrick, god it was so real," through her unshed tears she whispers, "I can't go through it again, I can't die like that." he hugs her, gently rubbing her back. "I just want to get away from all this. I just want to get out."

"What if I told you we could go to the cabin for a few days, will that help?"

"I guess," she replies and she slowly lays back down in bed with Patrick following her lead and wrapping his arms around her middle. "There's only one problem?"

"What," he wonders, what else could go wrong.

"I think I'm pregnant."

* * *

**A/N:** Do you think I'm evil for putting so much Emily and Patrick in a story thats supposed to be Nem and Scrubs? Do u really think she's pregnant? Maybe, but just know that I really like Scrubs and Nem so at least one of those couples are getting a happy ending. But before, that alot of drama we'll come. So what do you think? Whether you love it or hate, please review. And I don't think I mentioned before that this story is based on the song"On Lips of an Angel' by Hinder. Just on case u didn'te realize it already. Have a fun weekend everyone!

**lorilou783**: Thanks for the review, and I guess Patrick was pretty messed up for that one.

**cofeegurl5**: Sorry the review wasn't so soon but I blame my eight page paper on euthanasia. Thanks for the review and I think Emily will be olay eventually, not so sure about everyone else though.

**carolann5**: Glad you liked the last chapter, thanks.

**Ilovetowritesmp**: Thanks. I wasn't expecting to here the lines good writing for while, thanks. But one question, what does smp means

**SeetherRox**: The suspense is definitely coming. Thanks


	8. Must Get Out

A/N: If you want, listen to Maroon 5's "Must Get Out" while reading this. Its a beautiful song and the link will be on my profile

**Chapter Eight: Must Get Out**

Patrick and Emily's House

"I think I'm pregnant."

Patrick looks at her, blown away by what he's just heard. He wonders if she could be right and how it would be to have a baby of their own. He realizes how that she's just as scared as him at the idea but something is different in her. She looks truly happy at the idea of it and he wishes he could be the same. Yet he can't help but envision a little girl with Robin's eyes and his dimples. He knows that if she's pregnant it could change everything. How is he supposed to feel about this?

He remembers when she told him she was pregnant with Leora. It feels like so long ago. His heart felt like it could explode with love and he couldn't help but kiss her over and over, spinning her around. He was there for every step of the pregnancy and even talked to Emily's stomach every night. He wasn't going to make the mistakes his father made. He would have been a great Dad, he knew it, but he never had a chance.

It's not the same this time though and he realizes that he doesn't want this to happen. I remember when she would tell me she'd love me until the sun fell out the sky and would brighten everyday of my life. She's changed but to be fair, I'm not the man I once was either. The one who loved her once. I can't say I regret it, the change, that is.

"Patrick, why are you so silent," she questions even though inside she knows why.

"I'm just so happy that I don't know what to say," he lies, but he can't help but ask "Why do you think you could be pregnant?"

"I don't know, it's just a feeling I have, that women's intuition that everyone talks about. I'll take a test when we get to the cabin. We can find out then," she says happily, so excited for what may come. Though she's excited at the possibility of being pregnant, she can't help but admit to herself that if she is, Patrick and she could have a chance.

If only she knew. He lightly kisses her on the cheek, and hugs her, mostly to comfort her and try and to instill some excitement in himself. It doesn't work as they both wish. Once again they go lay in bed, backs turned to each other and try to go to sleep. Once again too many thoughts, hopes, and crushed dreams race through their head for them to sleep.

Yet they close their eyes and pretend to sleep. Their practice lying to themselves and each other is now, at least, good for something.

* * *

Cabin 

Patrick, Emily, Liz, and Lucky all pull up to the beautiful cabin and marvel at it in passing. The large cabin owned by Emily and her ex husband Nikolas is especially spectacular at this time of year. Christmas would be approaching soon and so they figured they would stay for a little while and come back in time to spend Christmas with their family. For now, at least, they just wanted to get away.

'Why do I have a feeling this won't be fun.' Patrick thinks while walking up to the cabin. 'I have nothing against Liz and Lucky, I consider them friends now. And Emily and I...well, let me not stress on us for once. Still, I can't help but miss and want Robin.'

He sighs as they walk into the spacious cabin and slowly trudges with the weight of numerous bags in his hand. The two couples's part ways and all settle into the two bedrooms, unpacking their belongings. The guys are down in minutes but the girls, of course taking forever.

"Are you two done yet," Lucky and Patrick ask more than half an hour later.

"We're still unpacking, guys, why are you in such a rush?" Emily says.

"In a rush," Patrick says bewildered, "we're only here for a weekend how long can it take?" he says as he knocks on the door of his and Emily's room. Elizabeth was with over to help her figure out what to wear.

"I'm telling you Pat, its something about women," Lucky says, "especially our wives. You know they can get kinda crazy when it comes to getting dressed and trying to look pretty." The door abruptly opens and Emily and Liz's tilted heads appear through the door's frame.

"Oh so we're crazy," Liz says slowly as she's trying to comprehend his words.

"And we have to try hard to look pretty, huh?" says Emily.

"But, we didn't-" the men try and apologize but the door is already slammed shut. They know that the women are just joking around but they also know they're going to take even longer. They give up and go outside, figuring they may as well get wood.

--------------

An hour later they sit in the comfortable living room, drinking hot chocolate and staring into the fire while enjoying pleasant reveries of the past.

"Remember last Christmas," Lucky begins

"Ha, how can we forget that," Emily muses and looks directly at Patrick.

"Patrick, trying to do something nice, tried to make Christmas dinner," says Liz, "we all told him we would help but something about his 'gifted hands' made him believe he could do it all by himself. He ended up burning the turkey and starting a fire."

"Do we really have to get into this," groans Patrick even though the memory makes him laugh just as everyone else.

"I don't think I've heard a more feminine scream in my like," says Lucky, "for a second I thought it was Liz or Emily."

"And then I ran into the kitchen to see it on fire and screamed just as loud as he did," says Emily.

"I came in with Lucky and got the fire extinguisher. I tried to spray it on the fire but it went every where, all over us, the kitchen and our perfect family dinner."

Patrick joins in, "we slid all around the kitchen trying to get out until we just toppled on the floor over each other laughing uncontrollably."

"It wasn't ruined though," Emily admits, "even though it didn't look perfect, it gave some of the best memories of our lives."

They all nod and laugh at that and so many more good times they've had together throughout the years. For the most part, they look forward to the fun they'll have this weekend and hope that for once nothing goes wrong.

'I'm surprised that this is all going so well,' Patrick thinks, 'maybe I was wrong.' As he thinks this he can't help but feel a sudden connection to someone in the cabin. He feels almost like his other half walked into the cabin yet he knows he must be imagining things. 'Robin's not here so maybe I'm just thinking of Emily. He shakes of the feeling as nothing.'

----------------

Robin walks in through the back of the cabin with her small bag and goes into a room first to put down her things. She takes a deep breath as she takes in the beauty of the place. 'I have a feeling that tonight's the night that me and Patrick can really connect. Who knows maybe something more will go on between us. Maybe he'll finally realize that we're meant to be together and we always have.'

Overjoyed in the possibilities between her and Patrick, her clumsiness she almost falls and kicks the large dresser.

"Ouch" she says while holding her big toe in her hand. For a doctor that encouraged her young patients to not be afraid of tiny bumps she couldn't help but think how much her toe hurt. But she shook it off and looked into the mirror. 'Tonight's the night, and nothing, not even an ouch is going to stop me.'

On the other side of the cabin the foursome looks up from the smiles of each other and the fire, wondering what loud noise they just heard.

"I'll go check it out," Patrick offers and they all nod.

"Better him get hurt than me," Liz says and Emily elbows her best friend in the stomach.

"It's probably nothing, stop acting like Michael Myers is going to pop out and kill him." she says, reassuring herself more than Liz. Lucky shakes his head in amusement as the two friends move closer together.

Seconds later the door slams open and the night sky frames a tall and dark hooded figure.

They all scream and hold each other, scared for what might come. They can't help but have the fleeting thought that not all of them will make it alive through tonight.

-------------

A minute before, Patrick had ventured out of the living room and through the large cabin. He knew the sound had came from the back of the house near the kitchen and he there he finds, of all people, Robin, staring back at him.

"Robin, what are you doing here?"

"Stop joking around Patrick, you invited me to the cabin for a time that would be 'worth my wild'" Robin reiterates

"No I didn't."

"Are you trying to be funny or something because if you are, it's not funny and-"

They try and finish explaining but are interrupted by screams coming from the living room.

They glance at each other and automatically run into the living room only to find Liz, Emily, and even Lucky holding on to dear life to each other while Nikolas stood in the doorway.

"Emily?" Nikolas questions.

"Nikolas, is that you?" she says confused, "what the hell are you doing here? You scared us half to death." She throws her pillow into his face as Lucky loosens his grip on her. They all couldn't notice how scared the tough cop could get and smile as his touch facade fell away.

"I'm here to spend time with Robin."

Everyone looks at him confused, especially Robin who thinks she came here to get away from the world with Patrick. Not to spend time with her alcoholic of a husband.

"Don't tell me that she's right behind me," Emily says madly and turns to see Robin staring back at her defiantly.

"Fine," Lucky says, "we won't."

"Wait. What are you guys all doing here?" Robin asks.

"We should be asking you the same question," Emily asks, "If you weren't here to see Nikolas then who were you here to see? Patrick?"

Robin looks at her silently, not the least bit afraid of her but unsure of what to say. "You know what," Emily says, snatching the keys out of Robins hands, "Nikolas could stay but your ass is leaving here tonight."

"Are you fucking crazy, Emily, do you see how bad the snows gotten?" Robin looks at her incredulously, "I barely even made it here without crashing and now you want me to go back."

"If anyone's leaving here tonight it's that piece of scum Nikolas," says Patrick. 'I'm not going to let Robin get hurt because of my wife's insecurities; even if that means hurting Emily. But I will not spend the weekend with him.'

"Why are you defending her," she says, each time her voice getting louder.

Elizabeth decides to try and stop this argument before it gets worse "Why don't we all just calm down and-"

"No" is said by just about everyone in the room but Lucky.

"I'm ending this now," Emily storms outside with Robin's keys to her BMW and opens the door. Still livid with her unreasonable anger she tries to start the car but nothing happens. The engine is dead. By the time Emily tries to start her own car, and realizes it will barely budge, everyone else is outside too.

"We're stuck," Robin says and they all nod in agreement.

"This is going to get interesting," Lucky says and it would.

So they trudge back to the cabin, anticipating having a boring, monotonous time. If only they new how bad it would get staying here. Maybe they would have run for their lives. Maybe they would have got out.

* * *

**A/N:** Did you like it? I hope you did and that u review.Iit case anyone couldn't tell things some things are going to go down at the cabin and things will get interesting. As always, thanks to all the reviewers, you guys really keep me going with this while story thing. And as an off topic. My sisters graduating from from nursing school tomorrow. I'm so excited for her. 

**ILoveToWriteSMP:** Yours are alot like mine SJB. And i really do need to check out your new chapter of the five and your new story. they both seem awesome. I'm glad you liked the chapter and though robin's going to have to go through alot of angst, she'll get to a happy place eventually.

**lorilou783:** thanks alot for the compliment. Your suggestion is good but we'll see what happens.

**SeetherRox:** Its very cool that your a new reader with the story and your sticking to it. Hope I don't disapoint. And that would be interesting to see what it could do to their relationships.

**bluejaygal**: I'm glad you love the story. I think the same of all your stories so its very cool you think that. And I must admit I do like the whole Patrick/Am thing as much as I love all the other couples.

**cofeegurl:** Better late than never. Glad you liked the chapter and I do need to work on my updating, don't I?


	9. Stolen Kisses

**Chapter Nine: Stolen Kisses**

Cabin

The group of six all lay around the living room quiet and completely bored. It's Christmas Eve and they can't help but miss the city of Port Charles and their families. They want to go home but sadly, it's just not an option. Even if they could call for a tow truck, none of them have phone service. They're stuck and they know its going to be a long day.

"I'm bored," Robin says, "we need to do something." Robin looked over to Patrick while saying this and couldn't help but be reminded of her disappointment. 'This weekend is not what I expected. I've barely gotten to talk to Patrick since I've come, since Emily has been all over him the past few days, possessing him like the piece of property he's not.'

"I know, this sucks," Patrick replies, his eyes looking Robin up and down though he was barely and inch away from Emily. Being near them both is too hard. We really need to get out of here.

"Oh, so being with me sucks?" Emily asks Patrick.

"God Emily, can you not take everything so personal for once and just shut up," Robin replies annoyed. The urge to slap Emily had been getting stronger ever since she got here.

"Stay out of this, you--" Emily replies in unjustifiable anger.

All of the sudden, Liz, who had been cuddling next to Lucky brightens up and cuts Emily off. "We need to get out of here," Elizabeth says and looks around the room to see Emily, Robin, Patrick, Lucky and Nikolas avidly nod "and I have an idea to make that happen."

"What," Nikolas asks.

"You'll all find out soon enough. Just do me a favor and meet me outside in an hour."

Confused, they all walk upstairs to put on their rooms to put on their warm clothes and coats.  
Robin and Nikolas walk into the room they've been forced to share and as Robin begins to put on her bright red sweater, Nikolas speaks.

"Robin, you've barely spoke to me since we've gotten here," he says trying to look her in the eye sincerely, only to find her eyes directed to the floor. So much pain was in them that it hurt to look at her; to know that he caused it. He puts her chin up, making her eyes look into his "Talk to me."

She looks at him determined to not fall apart this time and to stay as strong as she knows she can be. "Why should I talk to you? Why should I even give you the time of day again? So you can hurt me, just like you've done so many times before?"

Silence ensues after this, yet the tension between them lays so thick. "But doesn't it matter that I love you and I really am sorry." he replies earnestly, "I never mean to cheat on you or hurt you in any way."

"If you loved me, then why did you do it?" she asks her eyes beginning to tear up. 'I won't do this,' she thinks. 'I won't let him reel me back in.'

"I don't know. The alcohol, the pain from losing my mom again. So much was going on back then. But I'm getting sober now and I just really want us to make this work. You can't just throw three years down the drain. You can't give up on us."

She looks at him and he sees hope in her eyes, hope that they could make this thing work. "I don't think you realized the pain you've caused me. When I you caught in bed with her, it shattered me into pieces. It was and still is so hard to look you in the eye knowing that I love you but I just can't be with you. I can't stay up every night wondering where you are and who you're with, if your drunk... dead. I can't do this anymore," she begins to almost yell, all the pain coming through in her voice. "You threw three years down the drain!" she says accusingly, "and you gave up. I'm finally letting you."

As she leaves she can't but think how ironic it is that everyone, including herself, thinks she's put him completely out of her heart, out of her mind. Its so easy for her to focus on her hate and her anger for him but its just as easy to remember what brought them together and the times that made her heart swell with love for him. So she walks away, believing that it would be the easiest thing to just forget everything and start all over again with someone else, Patrick. Was she wrong? Maybe. The thought that she might regret her decision lingers in her head but she has no choice. She has to protect her heart, even if the only way to do so meant forever ending their relationship.

He lets her slip by him, figuring that at the very least, he can give her space to figure out where she really wants to be. Yet as she walks away he whispers, mainly to himself "You're not leaving me Robin. Ever."

---------------------

Outside 

About forty-five minutes later Liz and Lucky stand outside in the cold. Lucky looks at her though and sees her exuberance shine through all her winter layers. He realizes that she makes everything in life worth it.

"So do you think this will work?" Lucky asks.

"Definitely, we've been cooped up in that cabin for too long; we need to get out of it even if it's just to go a few yards away."

"It seems like a little more is on your mind though," Lucky asks seeing the troubled look that had just came upon her face.

"Its just that this is the first Christmas we won't be able to spend with the kids. I'm sure Rose is having fun with her Daddy Jason, but what about Cameron and Christian. I'm sure they're with Audrey but I just wanted us to be all together."

He nods understanding that she misses them more than she lets on. Elizabeth had always had a deep, unconditional bond with their kids that have only gotten deeper with time. And even though Cameron and Rose weren't his biological children, he loved them just as much as he could and missed them too.

"You know what? We are getting way too sad. Where's our Christmas spirit? We're going to have fun for the rest of our time here if I have anything to do with it." Liz, ever the optimistic, was determined and not easily let down. She had hoped that this Christmas would be good but little did she know that her hopes would be shot to hell and there was nothing she could do but let it all unravel.

---------------

"Come on Patrick," Emily insisted as she grabbed his arm leading him out the door.

"God Emily, can you leave me alone for two seconds?" He was beginning to get annoyed with her possessive attitude and wanted some space from her. He didn't know what was going to go on outside and figured it was going to be something stupid yet he relented and came anyway. What more could she want.

"Alright, I'll back off," Emily said, for once sincerely. She didn't mean to act the way she did but she couldn't help but think that the second she left him alone was the second he went to Robin. 'I just need to calm down,' she thinks.

The six of them finally stood outside in the snow, wondering what the hell they could do in such cold whether.

"What's going on Elizabeth," Emily asks her best friend.

"Well," Elizabeth says mischievously, "first we all have to break up into three teams, couple wise.  
They do just that, all the while, Robin groaning and reluctant to stand next to her partner Nikolas so soon after their argument.

Lucky goes on with the rather simple yet fun plan, "Its simple, we're all going to have an all out snow all fight. You old timers remember what that is right?"

Nikolas, Robin, Patrick, and Emily all stare at them for a second like they've gone crazy. And then the uproar begins.

"But that's so childish," Nikolas says.

"I'm going to get my hair wet," Emily complains.

"I'm not doing anything with him," Robin says, glaring at Nikolas.

"Do we have to?" Patrick asks.

"We have nothing else to do and we're driving each other insane in this house. Let's just break loose for once and do this thing." Elizabeth says as Lucky throws a snow ball at her. And as she chases him of to the left of the house the rest of them run around, deciding for once not to worry of their troubles. They act like the kids they never were allowed to be and for once have fun.

They all get separated and Robin wanders off far from the house. Sitting on a log she can't help but think about her talk with Nikolas. She hears him in her head saying "you can't give up on us," and she wonders for a second if he was right. If she gave up too soon.

But she thinks she's made the right decision and she has to let the part of her life die. It'll be hard for a while, she knows that, but if she's with Patrick they'll pull through it like they always have. She really cares about him, loves him maybe, and thinks it would be alot easier than being with someone like Nikolas.

If I could choose to not give up on something, he's it.

WHACK!

Robin feels the cold ice of a snow ball soak through her hair. She turns around to see Patrick's famous dimpled smile grinning back at her.

"This is war, Drake," she grabs the cold ice and expertly shapes it into a sphere with her hands. She's done this before. She throws it at him but he's too fast and he's already gone. She chases after him and as they dart between the trees they feel like kids again. After what seems like forever but is probably just seconds he hits her again, this time, smack-dab in her back.

"Do you surrender," he asks her yet when she looks around her she can't find him. He slyly begins to walk away when Robin finds him and charges right at him surprisingly tacking him like a little football player. She lays there on top of him and no one's around to stop them from being together, not even themselves. He talks the initiative and begins to lovingly kiss her.

They don't want to stop but eventually they do and get up from on top of each other. But not before Robin shoves a fist full of snow into his face. They laugh and sit on another log, grateful for the time they have together. Robin ecspecially thankful for the fact that he could take her mind off of everything.

"How is it that we've been living in the same house and yet I haven't been able to talk to you? It's weird but I miss you and the moments we have together like this."

"Me too," she says while her head rests on his shoulder.

"Are you okay though? I heard you arguing with Nikolas today and I know how it feels like to fight with someone you love. It hurts so don't tell me your okay."

"Okay I won't. I told Nikolas that it needs to be over between us. He can't keep trying to get me back. I think we should just get a divorce and make it easier between us."

"Is that what you really want," Patrick asks, concerned for her feelings.

"It is. I just really want to be with you," she confesses to him.

"I want to be with you too,"

"Then why are you still with her. You and I both know we love each other so why can't it be easier. Why can't we just be together?" she asks him, her heart on the line. She trusts him completely, but she just can't understand his actions sometimes.

"It's complicated, and I know it will take some time for me to finally break it off with Emily. We're going through some hard times, and for all we know she can be dying of cancer. I love you, and I've felt this way since the moment I met you. I don't want to have to lie about us anymore. I want to be able to shout it off the rooftops but please just wait a little bit longer. I don't want to break her heart but I'm going to let her go. The possibility of being with you makes it all worth it."

"Okay. I'll wait, but for now I want it to be just us. Lets just forget about everything and let the world fall away until only we remain."

He acquiesces and begins to kiss her like she was the only woman in the world. So this is what it feels like, love? While stealing her kiss, he remembers that he's felt this way before, yet he let the feeling completely fall apart. Not anymore. He would trade the world to just be in this moment, with her, and feel like this forever.

--------------

Nikolas ventures back onto the porch after spending sometime looking for Robin. He knew where she'd be, but he had hope that she wouldn't be with Patrick. The past few weeks had been especially hard for him. Robin leaving him, finally admitting his drinking problem and going to AA. There had only been one strong point for him. His time with Emily. But he knew it would never work. They had their chance so long ago and they blew it. Now they were in love with other people, their spouses who ironically didn't feel the same. 'Why does life choose to be so awful at times,' he wonders.

He hears soft footsteps coming directly ahead of him and he looks up to see Emily in front of him. She smiles at him the light not reaching her eyes. Yet she tries to be happy and optimistic and that's what counts. That and knowing that she would always be there for him.

"So what have you been doing?" she asks inquisitively.

"Looking for Robin, just as I'm sure you were looking for Patrick," he replies causing her to blush.

"For once, let's not even talk about either one of them; let's focus on something, anything, else."

"Okay, so what'd you get me for Christmas," he asks and she looks at him ready to spill the secret.

Thinking better of it, she instead says, "You'll see when you open it back in Port Charles."

"And that'll be when? 2011? I can't wait that long," he says sincerely excited about getting but even more, giving her present. He looks at her eyes and then down at her lips. He couldn't help but want to steal just one kiss. Yet from who that kiss should come from was something he couldn't yet understand and wasn't sure of.

"Well Nikolas," she says, so assured, "Good things come to those who wait," And they do. Who knows how long they'd all have to wait to find true love and the time of happiness that would vied for all their lives. Yet slowly they would. They'd all be with the one they love and would reach the epitome of happiness that they'd vied for all their lives...Right?

* * *

**A/N:** Look at this chapter as a calm before the storm. What do you all think, or want, to happen though? I hope you all fun on New Years. Sorry for the long wait. My internet decided to break for days and they my Beta was busy for a while. Either way, all of you reviewers and readers are truly awesome for taking time to read this and thank you.

**SeetherRox:** Alot more of the drama of the drama will becoming next with some secrets revealed to the characters. Thanks.

**ILovetowriteSMP:** Thanks for telling me what lines you liked. It ehlps alot

**lorilou783:** Thanks for the review and I hope you like the cabin chapters.

**babieechica2008:** Yeah he's definitely an ass in this stroy so far but I'm not sure if he always will be. And Em can definaltely be a bitch in this story sometime.

**cofeegurl5:** I hope it'll get interesting and I have a feeling it'll get crazy.

**kae-thinks-of-you:** Thanks and I will. Writing is pretty fun.

**carolawn5:** Thank you. Patrick's going to be defending Robin alot more in the future and it will get ugly between the four of them.

**bluejaygal:** Thank you. I'll try and update soon.


	10. Warning: Intensity May Lead To Pain!

**Chapter Ten: Warning: Intensity May Lead To Pain**

_Cabin_

Days have passed since the group of six have been here and now it's finally Christmas. The snow is finally dying down and they know it won't be long until they can finally leave. But they know it won't happen tonight. So they make the best of it, all trying to tolerate each other and do something fun to celebrate the holiday. Charades is the game of choice this time and the six have already split into two teams, the game well under way. Its team two's turn (Robin, Patrick, and Emily) and they're in lead in the lead. Patrick and Robin can simply look at each other and know what the other is imitating. They know that they have the game on lock.

Patrick picks up a card and as he quick stares at it he thinks of how to show the words in the card. Dirty Dancing. I remember that movie. A slow smile comes to his face as he remembers his Mom watching the movie for the billionth time so long ago.

_"Mom, its opening day for NASCAR. Can you turn that movie off and let me watch it." Patrick asks his mom insistently. _

"NASCAR over Dirty Dancing? You must not know what you're missing. I'm telling you son, if you ever want to show a girl you love her, dance with her like that. Show her that she's the only one on your mind and in your heart." she says smiling, hoping that one day her fifteen year old son would find a woman like that.

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say mom. Now can you change the channel?"

God I missed her, he couldn't help but think. His mom was gone but in his heart she was so vivid and an ever present part in his life and decisions.

I know what to do, he thinks. I have the music, now I just need the girl. As Bailamos by Enrique Igleisas plays, he leads Robin off the couch and begins to dance a sultry salsa with her much unlike, and sexier than the dance from the 1980s movie.

Tonight we dance  
I lay my life, in your hands  
We take the floor  
Nothing is forbidden anymore  
Don't let the world in outside  
Don't let the moment go by  
Nothing can stop us tonight

Bailamos  
let the rhythm take you over, Bailamos  
Te quiero amor mio, bailamos  
Gonna live this night forever  
Bailamos, Te quiero amor mio, te quiero

After he takes her hand, he brings her closer to him. They dance close for a little bit and his hand runs up her leg a little. He dips her low as the music speeds up and as he brings her up again she guesses, 'Dirty Dancing". They've won the game. Yet they keep on dancing and things start too heat up...way too much.

"Why don't we all dance?" Elizabeth suggests and they all stand up and try to dance, try to break the awkwardness coming from watching these two dance.

Nikolas takes Emily's hand and they dance a slow classical dance, the only type the prince knows. Yet they can't help but stare at the Patrick and Robin while dancing. They seem so lost in each other's eyes and seemingly forget that others, mainly their spouses are even in the room. How can Emily and Nikolas not take notice of the lust...or maybe love, between them?

As Robin stares into Patrick's eyes dancing she can't stop the thoughts that race through her head, good and bad. She looks at him and her heart swells as she feels amazed at his dancing skills and more. It's just the way he looks at me...like I'm the only woman in the world for him...almost like he really loves me. It's really amazing. But it has to stop.

She breaks away from his grasp and makes a quick excuse to get away, even though she knows she'd rather do anything but. It's just all getting to be too much. "Patrick...I think I'm tired and I should go to sleep, so um, thanks for the dancing. It was nice," she quickly rambles. She walks out of the room and than dashes to into a closet. An awkward place for her to gather her thoughts but she's desperate and for once, she doesn't want to be found.

'Nice. Is that all you could say, she thinks to herself? Is that all dancing with Patrick and all the other moments you've had with him have been? When he first told you he loved you or was simply there for you whenever you need him and things got tough. Nice.

But it was more than that, I know it, and its why I had to get out of there. I know I love him and I always have if I'm completely honest to myself. I was the first to tell him I was falling in love with him, not the other way around. But there's a big chance that we might never get the chance to be together. We screwed up once. Who's to say it won't happen again?

Whenever I get close to someone I get hurt. We never mean for it to end and we always fight for our love but in the end, it all falls to pieces. Stone was my first love and he died with the same disease still that lies inside of me; a virtual ticking-time bomb. Jason loved the mob mroe than he could ever love me. Nikolas cheated and lied to me again and again. Even Patrick and I drifted apart after so many arguments and blows to each other's pride. When I allow myself to over think and analyze my feelings, I realize one thing: I'm scared to love.

She looks up to the door slowly opening and sees Patrick walk inside.

"Patrick, I just need a moment to think by myself. Can you go?" she asks seriously, yet subconsciously happy that he was here with her.

"I'm not leaving you alone until I find out what happened in there. Why did you just up and leave?" Patrick asks, genuinely confused.

"Fine, if you don't want to leave, I will," she replies stubbornly and gently pulls on the doorknob.

It's stuck.

She grasps it more firmly this time and yet it still won't budge. Once again they're stuck.

Damn. Robin fleetingly tries to call Elizabeth and Lucky to open the door but finally realizes that the music that still plays is too loud for her to be heard. She sits back down in defeat.

"You still haven't told me why you left so suddenly? You looked like you just had to get out of there. What's going on Robin?"

Being this close to him and hearing him sincerely concerned for her feelings makes her realize that she can't keep anything from him. So she bears her all, hoping that he'll understand what she's trying to say.

"It wasn't the dancing that made me run. It was me fully realizing how much I care about you...love you. When I love I love completely and I depend on the fact that the love I share with that person will never die. But it will... it always does. It happened with Nikolas and it will with you. Loving someone doesn't mean you can get the opportunity to spend a life time with him. I realize that now.

I'm just too scared at the fact that I might have to go through that again. Maybe you'll decide to stay married to Emily or you'll stop caring about me...maybe I'll die before we even get the chance." Robin says so passionately, her emotion filled voice bringing chills to Patrick.

"That's the whole point of life. We don't know what might happen, or how much time we have left. We just make the best of what we have and hope it's enough to make life worth fighting for." Patrick replies.

"But what if-" she replies but is cut off by Patrick's finger on her lips. As they sit side by side in the coat filled closet Patrick begins to understand more about what she's going through.

"But nothing. Life is going to be hard whether we like it or not. But sometimes, someone can walk into your life and make you realize that maybe, all the strife is worth it if in the end you can have moments like these with someone you love."

He goes one step further to silence her from anymore rambling and kisses her, yet this time its different. They go farther than they have in a while and as Patrick pulls her black camisole over her head, and she does the same with his shirt, neither thinks that they are making a mistake. Maybe because they're not.

Completely into the moment and into each other they come close to doing something that can be wrong but feels so right. They begin to explore each other's bodies, instinctively, like being with each other is the most natural thing in the world.

They don't even hear the pair of footsteps approaching the door or see Lucky open the closet to see them half dressed, so close to making love.

"What the hell are you two doing?" Lucky asks completely shocked and hurt to think how his best friend, Emily would feel when she saw this. Angrily he pulls the shirtless Patrick out of the closet and punches him directly in the face. This is for Emily he thinks.

Close behind Emily, Elizabeth, and Nikolas walk in to the hallway to see Lucky trying to pummel Patrick but Patrick eventually getting the upper hand, his hands raw from hitting him.

The fight goes on and Lucky again lands on top of him, trying to go beyond Patrick's blocks and punch him again in the face.

"What are you doing to my husband Lucky?" Emily asks confused as Nikolas tries to pull the two off each other.

"Your husband?" he asks incredulously, "is that what you call a man this close to having sex with another woman his wife is in the next room?"

All eyes turn to Robin, who was frozen with the shock of being caught in such an intimate moment. 'What the hell was I thinking. I don't regret what I was going to do but I should have known something like this would happen and we would get caught. Why didn't I think that by doing this right now, right here could hurt people...like Nikolas. But should I even care after all that's happened and finally realizing how deep my feelings for Patrick are.'

Emily looks at her spouse; utterly disgusted "So this is what you call trying to make our relationship work?" she says quietly, the visual proof of what's been going on hurting her, "Is sleeping with this slut part of your plan?"

The rest of the room stays quiet knowing that Emily and Patrick had to talk this out. Patrick looks at her not fully understanding her shock.

"Do you really have a right to criticize me after all that's gone on between us, after all that you've done. Do you really think you have the right to play the Innocent Victim here?"

"What have I done so wrong?" she yells, "Being there for you when you needed me, loving you-"

"Sleeping with Nikolas," She pauses and looks at him, silently pleading with him to not go any further with this tirade of his. They both knew the pain it could cause the others and shock at all the things that lay hidden beneath their surface. Yet he goes on.

"Don't act like you don't remember Emily." He says loudly, his hands boldly gesturing at her and Nikolas. "Tell everyone how you f--ked prince charming after our daughter died. How I walked in on you to find you with another man. You were still married to me and Nikolas was married to Robin but it didn't matter. You were just the first of many. Where was your high horse then?"

He stops and realizes what he's said, including the fact that Robin was never supposed to know. He never wanted to add to her pain by telling her this, even if it meant lying to her.

"You knew?" she asks Patrick accusingly and he can only nod reluctantly. He tries to take back the words but it is too late. The words have been said and cannot be erased from Robin's memory. Before he knows it, she's gone.

Into the night she runs until she's out of breath and she wonders when she began to run from all her problems. Shouldn't she, a Scorpio face her problems head on? Yet even that thought is incomprehensible. The fact that Patrick lied to her about something so important when he was the only person she could still completely trust is unbelievable. He was supposed to be different.

She stops and turns to find himstaring back at her. Cold, and shirtless. Livid, she slaps him with all the force her anger can allow her to find. If it hurts, it's not the pain, rather the fact that he made her feel this way that truly hurts him.  
--------------

_Inside the Cabin_

Lucky walks around the living room trying to work off his anger. Even though he had cheated on Elizabeth four years ago, he still couldn't contain his anger over someone trying to do the same to his best friend. They had been friends since they were kids and he couldn't help but be protective... It was too hard to hear her cry.

"Its okay, Em" he said pausing from his pacing to hug her with all his might, "you'll be better off without him."

"He's right," Elizabeth agrees, "you don't need him and there's no reason for you to talk to him if you don't want to."

Emily buries her head in Lucky's shoulders, yet looks up to give a response. "Except for the fact that I could be pregnant."

The room goes silent. There's nothing they can say about that.

"I can't keep waiting, I need to find out now," She walks into the bathroom and they wait.

Elizabeth looks around the room and through the window only to find a dark figure run across the window with something glinting in their hand...a knife? Before she knows it she's screaming and barely knows how to stop.

"Elizabeth, why are you screaming?" Emily asks after running out of the bathroom for her friend.

"There--there was someone, something out there." Elizabeth stammers. Naively the men laugh and though Emily is slightly worried she shrugs it off as nothing.

"Maybe it was Sasquatch, come to eat us alive?" Nikolas replies sarcastically

"There's nothing outside honey. Maybe you just saw Robin or Patrick outside." Lucky suggests.

She nods yet for some reason her gut tells her it's something more. That someone out there wants to do them harm. It's happened before. Yet she too shakes it off... eventually... as nothing.

"So what did the test show," she asks looking at the now distraught Emily.

"It was positive. I'm pregnant."  
-------

_Outside_

Patrick puts his hand to his cheek, shocked that she slapped him, yet knowing that he deserved every bit of it. He never should have lied to her and now he realizes this... but is it too late?

He feels her glare at him... through him... yet he knows that he has to try to say something. They've gone too far to simply go back to square one and give up.

"I'm sorry, Robin," he says sincerely and she laughs out of spite.

"You're not sorry, you're just mad you got caught. How many times and opportunities did you have to tell me what you saw? How could you look at me and lie to my face everyday? It was my marriage they ruined too you know." She tells him, so much hurt and anger evident in her voice.

As her eyes glimmer with tears he tries to hug her but she waves him off, refusing for him to touch her right now. "No Patrick. I don't you fully understand how hard it was for me. I loved Nikolas, I really did. All the lies could have ruined me...if it wasn't for you. But you were part of the lie all along. Isn't that ironic?" she says cynically and angry.

"I know how hard it was because I went through the hurt of finding them in bed together. I could never hurt you like that again. I care about you too much... I love you" he tells her, honestly, praying that she will understand, "I swear I never meant to-"

"You never meant to do a lot of things, but you did." she says cutting him off in a more calm and final way, "It's too late to try and turn back time Patrick. Maybe we shouldn't have tried in the first place. We should have let it die."

She finishes with this and even though it hurts both of them, she won't take it back. To take it back would mean to have to try and work it out, only for it to fall apart in the end. She wouldn't go through that again. No, it was over. She would make sure of that.

* * *

**A/N:** Do you think it's over? Or is this just another bump in the road that Scrubs will have to conquer? Emily pregnant, Liz seeing things, how do you think the story will go? Tell me what you think and you'll find out sooner. Thanks to all the readers and reviewers. 

**Preview:** Emily discovers a shocking possibility. Things go from bad to worse at the cabin.

**kae-thinks-of-u: **I'm glad you love the story and I'll try and update as much as possible though this week i have finals. And its good to know your opinions on what couples u like.

**jasam2010:** New reader? Cool. Glad you like the story and hope you keep reading.

**IlovetowriteSMP:** Nikolas might get desperate to keep robin and what happens with those two later on will be shocking. And I really wanted L&L2 to finally have a kid together since in this story thhey both have kids with others. Even I wonder what couples I want together but for the most part I think I know who will last.

**maliek:** My fiftieth reviewer! I do love both couples too. I'll update soon as I get a chance.


	11. It Ends Tonight

A/n: you can look at my profile to listen to this chapter's song.

**Chapter Eleven: It Ends Tonight**

Promises...are they all bound to fall apart? Are we destined to break them and forever regret that we did?

Patrick had promised to never let Robin walk away from him but somehow he did again and again. As he watched her tiny figure retreat back towards the cabin he wanted so badly to stop her. But his pride got in the way.

She gave up on us, he thinks, trying to cover his sadness with anger. I might as well too. I don't need her, he rationalizes. I'll be better off. As she leaves he yells, "Go ahead and leave. I don't need you Robin, I never did." She looks back at him nodding her head in the sad realization of how it's going to be between them now. She turns around and continues to walk away from him...from everything.

I was right all along, she thinks, as the snow begins to fall yet again. It all ends eventually and for our relationship, it ended tonight.  
--------------

_Cabin_

After Emily makes her pregnancy declaration, she slowly edges out of the living room and into the kitchen, away from the worried glances of her friends. She looks at them and she knows that despite some happiness for her, they can't help but feel sad for that all she and the others have had to go through. They can't help but wonder what she would do next...

If only she knew. As she sinks into the soft, cushioned chair, she feels no comfort and can't help but wonder where she goes from this. She truly was happy for the second chance for the child she's always wanted but what type of life could she give it?

Maybe Patrick would be there for her and the baby, or maybe he'd leave town with Robin...maybe the baby wasn't even his. It was only once, she thinks. But the awful possibility that her child could be with Nikolas instead of Patrick haunts her. She would always consider him a friend, more than that maybe, but Patrick was still the love of her life. How could she tell him this? Should she?

Maybe it would be for the best if no one knew. Patrick would stay with me and raise our child, and Nikolas could reunite with Robin. All would be as it should have been before. But could she really lie about something so big?

"Emily," Nikolas says, apprehensively walking into the kitchen and settling down near Emily.

"Yes?" She only says one word not wanting to let on to what she is thinking; not knowing the same thing is on his mind.

"I have to know if there's a chance that...that I could be the father of your child," he grips the table tight, full of anticipation of what she will say next, not sure if it will cause him dread or joy. He was going to talk to Robin, after he let her blow of some steam first but he just had to know first.

"No," she lies, "there is no way you could be the father. I'm carrying Patrick's baby," she sees the glimmer of hope he had in his eyes flicker and finally fade away.

"But, are you sure?" He asks softly, searching her for the truth and grasping at any straw he can.

"I'm positive. I'm sorry but it's the truth. It's just not your baby," she says harshly. It's so hard to lie to him but she can't help but think it will be for the best, even though the dread of her lie is already beginning to grow. But she won't let it eat her alive. She won't let it force out the truth.

Unnoticed, Patrick comes in with Elizabeth and Lucky behind him. Robin stays in the next room, not wanting to be near them but also somewhat curious.

"Baby? Whose baby are you talking about?" Patrick asks, searching their faces for an answer.

"Your's." Emily replies, putting on a smile. "I'm pregnant Patrick and in a few months you'll be a father."

Patrick stays stagnant, blown away but what he's just heard, and rendered speechless.

"Can this day get any worse?" Robin lets out from the other room.

Elizabeth instantly replies, "It just did."  
-------

A few hours later Patrick sits alone in his room contemplating everything that has happened tonight. My wife-if you can call her that-is pregnant and Robin just ended what we were beginning to have together. What am I supposed to do now, he thinks, still reeling from the day's events.

It would be so easy to just give up on Robin and go back to Emily. To forgive her and forget all that could have been with Robin. They could have that white picket fence that everyone dreamed of and he could raise his children with a woman that really loved him.

But he didn't want any of that, if he couldn't have it with her. Finally he realizes how important she was to him and the fact that she made life worth living. Robin truly was everything he wanted and never knew he needed.

And it wasn't even the fact that he was beginning to resent Emily more or that she was beginning to strangle him that led him to this conclusion. The simple feeling of loving someone beyond words, without even trying, made him see this.

If only he could have fully realized this before and would have had the courage to just be with her, despite everyone else and what they might think. 'Whatever happened to it being the world against us?' Now it was them against each other.

It wasn't like he could just go to her and apologize again after what just happened, even though he desperately wanted things to work out between them. Even though the thought of losing her again was beginning to break him clean in two... No, he would have to wait, and if they were meant to be together they would.

Never before had one so foolishly trusted fate ahead over their own will to make whatever they wanted happen. Hopefully, this time it wouldn't let him down.  
------------

On the other side of the wall, sat Robin in her room, thinking about all that had happened between her and Patrick. She wondered if she was doing the right thing but was self-assured that giving up on Patrick would be the best, for both of them.

What's done is done, she thinks, trying to hide. Trying to cover up her emotions with logic. I'll get over him quickly. After all the lies he's told me it shouldn't be hard to forget him this time...right?

Wrong, a voice, deep in the back of her mind tells her. You need to go to him now and fix this. You love him and he loves you. What more does there have to be? You two have problems, that's a fact, but loving someone is loving all of them, including their faults. It'll be hard, but you can do this, I know you can.

For once she listens to that voice inside her head and opens her door, venturing out into the hallway, at the same time, for the same reason, as Patrick. They struggle to find out what to say to each other but in their heart of hearts, they know that they've known what to say all along.

Before a word is spoken, Nikolas comes into the hallway and looks at Patrick.

"You need to come with Lucky and I to get some wood Drake. We're all out and since the snows picked up again, we need to heat the house."

"Can't you see I'm busy?" He tells Nikolas but before Nik can respond Robin cuts in.

"Just go Patrick, we'll talk later." Robin tells him and reluctantly, he gets his coat and walks outside of the cabin with Nikolas and Lucky.

As the snow rages outside the cabin, into the forest the men walk, leaving the women of their lives behind. Just a quick run to get wood, they think, nothing could go wrong. If only they knew...  
-----------------

_Cabin- An Hour Later_

Emily is sitting on the living room couch, waiting for Elizabeth to finish showering when the lights suddenly go out.

Damn, she thinks, while she searches the house for candles and pulls out a lighter from one of the drawers. While lighting a few candles and setting them about the room, she looks up to find Robin's visage staring back at her.

"The power went out," Robin states and Emily rudely replies, "Gee, Robin, I didn't notice."

"It's been a long night, and for once I really don't feel like arguing with you Emily."

Emily looks at her, noting her sincerity and not wanting to fight either. "Yeah, I'm sorry for being a bitch just now and for the past few days. It's just," she begins, trying to confide in Robin once again, like old times, "the past few days have been rough and I've just found out I'm pregnant with a baby Patrick might not want."

The shock that she would confide in her leads Robin to try and do the same. "I'm sure it's just as hard as finding out that someone you once considered a friend slept with your husband. I'm trying Emily, I really am but knowing what we've done to each other, we can never be friends."

"I know that," Emily says nodding, "sometimes I wish things were different...with everything." They both sit there, thinking, as they've done for most of their time here. The power flickers then goes completely on throughout the cabin.

"Thank God the power's back on."

"Yeah," Emily says, her thoughts elsewhere, "Liz has been up there a long time. I think we should go check on her." Robin agrees and they both go into the upstairs bathroom, only to find it empty, the water running.

Wet footsteps lead into the room she shares with Lucky and they follow them until they reach the door and open it, turning the doorknob.

With horror, they walk in and shocked at what they see they both scream so loud that they wonder if the boys can hear them from wherever they are. Emily tries to stay strong but once again faints at the gore of what she sees.

As the path went on the water had turned into blood, which was now smeared on the floor. That same blood, spelled out on the mirror, "YOU'LL NEVER GET OUT ALIVE" and something inside of them, the same thing that had made Liz sick with the fearful possibilities, made them realize that they weren't getting out of here without a fight.  
----------------

_Outside_

"We can hardly see our hands in front of our faces," Lucky tells the two men beside him, "we have to go back to the cabin."

"We don't even know where the cabin is now." Patrick tells the two men, "North, South, West...it all looks the same to me. The snows too hard."

"I'm sure if we just go that way we'll find our way." Nikolas says, trying to make sense out of the fact that they're lost.

"Stop acting like you know where you're going Cassadines. Give it up man, we're lost."

So consumed with arguing with each other they don't realize that they are walking into a trap. Lucky yells, the pain seething through his left leg, as he walks directly into an animal trap. Blood runs through his leg and slowly...too slow, do Patrick and Nikolas rip the trap off his leg.

They put his arms around their shoulders and drag him into a nearby cave. Patrick gets to work, moving Lucky's pant leg up to access the damage.

It's really bad, he sees and here they are stuck in the middle of nowhere with no proper medical equipment or hospitals around. If I let his wound progress he can get an infection and left untreated his leg may have to be amputated. I'm not bringing him to his wife without a leg.

Stop it Patrick, he thinks. You're jumping do conclusions. Just do what you have to do to help Lucky. He'll be okay.

So Patrick takes off the shirt beneath his clothes and rips it apart to secure it around the wound and stop the bleeding. He puts an open palm out to Nikolas and Nik stares at it in confusion.

"What do you want from me?" Nikolas asks and Patrick gives him a look that makes it seem like the most obvious thing in the world.

"Alcohol. It will help dull the pain and cleanse the wound. Even with all that AA bull, I know you still have some on you."

Nikolas pulls out an alcohol flask and puts it to Lucky's lips. Lucky drinks but even the act of swallowing feel hurtful. "I'm not drinking anymore, I just keep it for..."

"Save it Cassadine. You can drink yourself to death for all I care. The most important thing now is getting out of this storm and getting Lucky some help. We need to find a way to get him to a hospital."

Nikolas nods, agreeing for once. "At least we don't have to worry about the girls. They're safe as can be inside the cabin; there's no way they can get hurt.  
------------------

Liz opens her eyes to see the blurred reality of her world slowly sink in into her view.

What happened to me, she thinks and slowly she begins to remember. She was getting dressed when she heard another noise and suddenly something hit her in the head. Then it all went black.

She tries to speak, to scream from the pain that now seared her body but she can't. She can't get the words to come out and can't stop from being dragged into the snow. By who, she doesn't know, and it scared her to find out.

What is he going to do to me, what has he already done? Painful memories of her rape resurface and she bites back tears from the fearful possibilities. 'Am I going to die?' is the question in her head that she cannot silence and does not know the answer to. She looks up to the masked criminal and is dragged behind the bushes when it all goes black.

* * *

**A/N:** Shocking I hope? Just to let everyone know, I'm not going to make this into some horror flick. Its still going to be about couples trying to find they're way back to eachother even though it will be hard. but I had to deliver on that promise that someone would try and stop Scrubs from being together. I hoped you like it and tell me what you think and your guesses to who's doing all this to them. thanks to all the reviewers and readers.

**cofeegurl5:** Me too, I just finished finals. I'm glad you liked the chapter and I have to tell you that it will get worse before it gets better.

**lorilou783:** You made a pretty good guess because that us the posibility. and yeah I think it would be great if those couples finally got together in the story but it might take a little time.

**jasam2010:** Thanks, I'll try and update again soon. :)

**carolawn5:** Its great to see your still reading this. And yeah there was a lot of drama in the last chapter but I hope i can mae it all work out well. Thanks for the compliment.

**bluejaygal:** I find it cool that Emily's pregnant in both our stories. I wonder how it will turn out in both. And yeah it might take a while to reveal who Liz saw and who'se doing all this.


	12. Discoveries and Denials

**Chapter Twelve: Discoveries and Denials**

Why is that when your world is spinning and your life can't get worse it always does? Is there a way to fight for the peaceful life you know you deserve? Or are you just bound to be screwed by destiny?

Looking around the room at all the blood and the fearful message, Robin can't help but think for a split second that it's over. That they have no chance. But as her Scorpio and Devane instincts kick in, she knows that she has to get them all out of there alive and that she would. She wasn't dying without a fight and she wouldn't leave the world without Patrick knowing how she felt about him.

Why didn't they realize how precious time was and how could they have wasted all that time without each other? She was getting out of here and when she did, she would make sure that not a moment went by without him knowing how she truly felt about him.

All these thoughts flash through her head in seconds and she immediately goes to the floor where Emily lay passed out.

Slapping her in the face repeatedly, Robin determined told her, "Wake up! You can't give up Emily. We are going to fight this and we are going to get out of here. I promise that you and the baby will be okay."

Emily's eyes flicker and slowly she opens her eyes. There are tears in her eyes when she looks in Robin's eyes and asks her quietly, "But can you promise me that Elizabeth isn't dead? Can you just tell me that she'll be fine?"

Robin can't lie to her so instead she stays silent, not knowing what to say. How do you tell someone that someone they've loved for so many years is probably dead?

Deep inside, Emily knew she couldn't be alive. With all that blood around the room there was no way Liz could have survived. It just hurt so much to know that the person that you confided in and loved like a sister could just be gone. She wouldn't accept it. She couldn't.  
Her denial would help get her through. That along with Robin's strength and fire. But would it be enough for them to survive this thing, this psycho? Only time would tell.

_

* * *

Cave _

The three men were a sad sight, huddled up in the cold, dark cave trying to wait the storm out. Patrick sat on the floor rubbing two sticks.

"What are you doing Patrick," Nikolas asks, perplexed at why the man was rubbing sticks together.

"I'm trying to make a fire. It's cold as hell in here and I am not going to become a living popsicle because you got us lost." Patrick says pointedly.

"I didn't get us lost, you did. And maybe it would be easier if you used this." Nikolas pulls out a small box of matches. Patrick gives him an incredulous look and snatches it from his hand.

"I can't believe this guy," Patrick replies, mad that he had been rubbing the sticks together for ten minutes for no reason.  
"You? You can't believe me? I can't believe the fact that you tried to sleep with my wife when me and Emily were in the next room." As the argument heats up Lucky tries to gather their attention.

"Guys?" Lucky is completely ignored

"Oh shut up, Cassadine. You to did the same to us first, so sorry if I'm not feeling remorse that the poor little Prince got his feelings hurt."

"Don't you-"

"Can you guys shut up for two seconds?" Lucky yells as the two men stare at him quietly as he pauses to take a laboured breath, "I swear you guys fight more than the girls do. We need to stop bickering and put our heads together. We need to try and find some supplies if any and see how long we have to wait before we can try and find our way again."

"No need to yell dude, I could have told you that," Patrick says.

"Yeah man, I was already one step ahead of you," Nikolas plays along too as it if had been his idea all along.

"Okay. Patrick you light a stick and see if there's anything in the cave we can use. Nikolas you try and survey the land outside of the cave and see if you can get any clue as to where we can go."

"Alright, got it."

"And what are you going to do?" Nikolas asks.

"I am going to sit here and try and get as drunk as possible. Anything to numb the pain in my leg. " He reaches for Nik's pocket and snatches out the flask once again. "Thank you." he says with a slightly humorous laugh. "Hey, maybe I'll get really hammered and start singing karaoke or doing something else crazy. Think of me as you're soon to be entertainment. "

_

* * *

Cabin_

"Whoever did this couldn't have gotten far. Maybe they're still in the house." Robin says, determined that they would catch the psycho who was doing this and would leave this cabin unscathed.

"So what are we going to do? Find him so he can kill us like he did Eliz..."Her voice drifts off before she can finish the name. "If we don't get out of here now, we might never get the chance."

"Listen," she tells Emily, her hand clutching her shoulder, "We are going to stay here and beat that bastard at his own game. That mother fucker doesn't know what he's in for."

Side by side they carefully walk out the room. Robin leads them into the kitchen and instantly goes to the drawers. Slamming them open, she wields two large knives and hands them to Emily. "You didn't think we would go into this unarmed?" She gets a knife and a frying pan for herself.

"Let's do this." Emily replies shakily, taking the weapons.

Now reassured of their ability to find whoever was doing this, they walk around the cabin, searching throughout the rooms for any evidence of the psycho or Elizabeth.

Moments pass and they see and hear nothing. Robin can't help but hope it is a dream that they will soon wake up from.  
Snap! She snaps her fingers and yet nothing changes. She knows it won't.

Finally they reach Emily and Patrick's room and enter, only to find painful memories of the past resurface.

Emily's dark room was lit by candles allowing them to see what was inside. On the desk strawberries and champagne sat and on the bed a familiar night gown was laid out. Rusty scissors and a gun were scattered around the room and to the left were pictures...of her rape.  
The worst moment of her life was laid out in front of her and through all the objects in the room she remembered.

"I've never been with a rich girl before...when I'm done, then you'll understand...**You owe me**..."She remembers how scared she was hearing him say this and how she had ran to the basement to get away from him. But she couldn't stop him from getting in. She couldn't stop him from doing anything.

"I didn't mean to hurt you."

She shudders at the memory of the way it felt to have his cold hands on her. How she layed there, the vitality draining out of her and being replaced by numbness.

"I just got caught up in this whole Nikolas thing, trying to be the man of your dreams...You asked me the play the part..."

She relives the guilt that she fought for so long after. She was the one who told him to be Nikolas. How could she have known he would take it that far?

"I'm sorry, Emily, I'm sorry."

She remembers how hard she fought him. How useless it had been. He was too strong for her. He was too strong to fight. Sorry is what he told her so many times but he didnt mean it. He couldn't have.

"I didn't mean to hurt you...I love you..you can't kill me can you, because we need eachother."

He was sick and twisted. He didn't know the meaning of love. She had to protect herself so she stabbed him with a pair of scissors and then she shot him, killing the man with her husbands face. She had buried it deep inside herself, almost forgetting it but never being able to completely put it out of her mind.

Five years later, why did it hurt so bad? She backs away slowly, fearfully, out of the room. Familiar sounding cries lure her into the room across the hall. Robin's."Those pictures, everything...they were from when Connor raped you weren't they? It's okay Emily this freak is trying to get to us but he can't. We're too str--"Robin looks into the room Emily has backed into, her own. In the room broken things lay shattered everywhere. On the floor was her Grandma, Philomena Soltini, dead.

* * *

_Cave_

Patrick wields his torch in front of him and begins to venture deeper into the cave searching for something, anything.

Nothing. No supplies or whatever Lucky was talking about are here. All I see are dirt and rocks. Well, I might as well go back, Patrick thinks indifferently. He begins to turn back when he sees something farther down the cave.

Maybe it's something worth checking out. He brands the light in front of what he finds and can't help but wonder what the hell is all this junk.

"Nikolas," Patrick calls loudly. Nik, who had been just outside the cave, takes his time coming to Patrick. "I think you might want to take a look at this."

* * *

_Cabin_

She rushes to her, without even thinking, and shakes her, trying to awaken her Grandmother. "Wake up Grandma. You have to. I love you too much for you to leave me." Suddenly she pauses and looks at the body that looked so much like the grandmother that loved her and cared for her for so many years. It was just an elaborate doll. A way to get to her.

And get to her it did. She remembers the harsh, cold feeling of helplessly seeing her Grandmother being murdered by Grant Putman. All she could do was watch and try to stop the man from doing what he did. But she was only eight and not strong enough to stop him from killing her grandmother. She was only trying to stop him from kidnapping me. She wouldn't have gotten hurt if it wasn't for me. It was my fault.

Instinctively, she puts her chin to her knees and stares out into the dark abyss of pain that she once sunk into so many years ago. But she wouldn't let it pull her in. She wouldn't stop fighting for her life. Her Grandmother wouldn't have wanted her to.

Not too far off from her, she sees that Emily had rushed to wear the cries were coming from, a white basinet to the left room. Those were the cries she had heard in her endless nightmares after she found out that Leora had died. As the voice of Conner fades away, she painfully remembers the feeling of losing that unborn child that had already become her life. Leora was gone.

A she thinks this she searches the blankets irrationally for her baby only to find a tape recorder playing a baby's cries. No matter how much she wanted it, her daughter wouldn't come back. And now, she might lose this baby. She clutches her stomach protectively.

"What does he want from us?" Robin asks, seemingly defeated, to no one in particular.

Emily realizes, just like Robin did that it wasn't real. It was all just a way hurt them enough for him to make a move. They look the room once over and help each other up. Without thinking they hug, tring to let the other know that despite everything, they were there for eachother and they would make it through."Come on Emily says, leading her out into the living room not too far away.

Before she even asks, Robin fills Emily on the details of the scene that the psycho had tried to recreate. They both sit on the tan couches as Robin starts.

"When I was eight, a man named André Chernyn tried to kidnap me and my mother. He tried to kidnap me to get to my father and was mad when my grandmother kept trying so hard to stop him. She fought as hard for me as she could but as I stood there and watched, he knocked her into a table, the trauma eventually killing her. I sat there for so long just sitting there staring at my grandmother's near body and couldn't help but think it was my fault for not doing so much. I stayed catatonic for weeks."

"I'm so sorry Robin about what happened to her. I know how it must have felt to see all you did. The hardest part of today was looking into that crib and knowing that Leora was never coming back. That I might not even get the chance to have this new baby. "

"I know what you mean. I'm scared too. There are just so many things that we might never get to do. But we can't think like this. We have to know that we'll make it through."

Once again at this crucial time, they connect and begin to understand more about the other.

An idea pops into Emily's head. "We haven't tried any of our phones for a while. Maybe if we try again we'll finally have service."

"Good idea," Robin says nodding, "lets go to your room and get your phone."

They retrieve the phone and go back into the living room to call someone. Emily begins to dial a number.  
"Wait, that doesn't look like 911? Who are you calling." Robin asks.

"Trust me on this." The phone begins to ring and Jason' monotone voice sounds through the phone.

"Hello."

Emily and Robin look at each other, excited, finally with substantial proof that they had a way out of this place and to safety.  
"Jason it's so good to finally hear you. Listen there's a m-" The line goes dead.

"Jason? Jason." Emily tries but she hears nothing on the other line.

"It has to work, we need to get help." She takes the phone and tries to dial her father's number and 911 hoping for anyone to pick up but no such luck. As they try and formulate another plan, Robin realizes something.

"Wait. Where are the guys?" she asked worried.

"Don't worry. They went to get wood," Emily says as she begins to understand what Robin is saying, "...more than an hour ago."  
"What if the psycho, or stalker, or whatever the hell that thing is has them too?"

Neither of them know what to say or think yet before another word is said, a bang is heard in the kitchen. They both turn their heads and slowly, stealthily begin to walk to the kitchen. Weapons up and ready for action they creep behind the psycho, prepared for what comes next.

They look through the wide opening of the kitchen and see their captor's back as he wipes off a somewhat bloody knife. As Emily eyes yet againblur with unshed tears, Robin puts a finger to her lips reminding her to be silent.

'It's now or never,' she thinks and signals Emily to attack now. Robin takes the frying pan from her hands and swings at the captor as Emily jumps on his back and tries to unveil his mask.

"Who the fuck are you and what do you want from us ?" Robin angrily tells him as she swings successfully at his head.  
"What did you do to Elizabeth?"

They continue in their efforts to disarm and unveil the psycho and for a while he stands motionless, almost amused at their attempts. In one motion he pushes Emily off his back, sending her head into the kitchen stove.

Robin stares at the psycho's eyes through the slits and barely inches away from him she can hear his every breathe. She tries to stay calm and act like she's in charge but can't help but feel her heart go faster and faster.

She looks at his pocket and seeing the outline of a gun, the fear in Robin's heart grows and strenghtens, if such a thing was even possible. Am I fooling my self to even think that I can beat this guy? I don't know who he is or really what he's done but something about him elicits a fear that I've never felt before.

She tries so hard to not give up and only one thing keeps her going. Hearing Patrick once again telling her in her mind "I care about you too much Robin...I love you." She didn't accept it then but now it was one of the only things keeping her strong.

"Why are you doing this?" She yells earnestly as the gunmen remains silent. "What did we ever do to you for you to try and hurt us? Just let us go and I promise that we won't come after you or call the police. We can all forget about this and you can end this without anyone else getting hurt. Just give me the gun."

She hopes he believes her lie that she or anyone of the others wouldn't try to get revenge for him trying to hurt them and killing Elizabeth. She looks at Emily who sits on the floor watching the scene in front of her. They both hold their breath for what comes next.

The psycho holds out the gun to Robin, yet when she reaches for it he hits her with it bluntly on her head. Emily tries to crawl away yet he reaches her, taking the chloroform out of his pocket and putting it directly over her mouth.

Four down, two to go he thinks. This was too easy, picking them off one by one. But he was far from done he knew, and things were definitely going to get interesting. He grabs hold of each of their legs and drags them to the living room, preparing them for what would happen next.

* * *

**A/N:** So what do you all think? Just to let you know, its ot going to turn out how it seems. And the next chapter will have alot of crazy things going on, ending the cabin scene finally. Before this happens, Patrick will try and save the girls while the rest find out more about the pyscho. Thanks to my Beta ghyeah and all the readers and reviewers. XO 

**kae-thinks-of-u: **To tell you the truth i don't know if i meant for that to happen or not. I probably just didn't think of the fact that it was the opposite and a lot of the problems would begin tonight instead of end.

**cofeegurl5:** I hope your finals are going well. And if it helps it will get way better.

**carolawn:**Definitely some angst coming up in the next chapter but i need to figure out from who's Pov it should be in. Maybe Nikolas. Glad i threw a little you a little.

**ILovetoWriteSMP:** Definite monkey wrench that I'm still wondering what I'll do with. and yeah I like Emily's and Lucky's friendship alot so I had to throw it in there.


	13. How To Save A Life

**Chapter Thirteen: How To Save A Life**

_Cave_

When you finally realize that your world's falling apart, what lengths will you go to stop it all from unraveling?

"Nikolas," Patrick calls loudly and Nikolas who had been just outside the cave takes his time coming to Patrick. "Hurry up. I think you want to take a look at this."

"I'm coming, I'm coming." Nikolas says as he trudges his way through the cave. What does he want now? There's nothing in this cave. Nothing but dirt. Dirt and--

Nikolas stops mid sentence as Patrick brands his light in front of what he wants Nik to see.

There were inanimate objects all around that section of the cave...almost like someone had been living there. There was food, water, and other necessities, but also things that didn't make sense. Binoculars, a phone transmission blocker, a black mask. A knife.

"What is all this?" Nikolas asks Patrick who is still rummaging through the stuff trying to find a clue.

"I don't know, but I think we need to find out."

They both begin to dig frantically for a reason beyond them. In the back of their minds, something tells them not all is not right.

Patrick leaps up with something in his hand. Like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, he's found the ticket to it all. In one hand he holds a small black gun he's found and in the other, a little black book. He scans it, looking for clues as to who would be living in this cave with a gun. He reads it mentally.

_My plan's working out perfectly. The men have finally left the house for wood leaving the women all alone, practically defenceless. One of them, if not more will get caught in my trap and eventually they'll get lost, leaving the girls alone for the night. Then I'll strike, one by one getting each and every one of them in the way they deserve. Now isn't payback a bitch?_

He throws it on the floor, gun still in hand and begins to rush out of the cave.

"Patrick, where are you going? What did it say?" Nikolas asks desperately, sensing the urgency of the matter in Patrick's reaction. He hurriedly picks up the black book and scanning the end quickly, he begins to run out of the cave too.

That freak's going to hurt them. Maybe he already has. What if Robin's dead? What if I walk into that cabin and find her lifeless body, knowing that I couldn't save her? That if it wasn't for me, we could have all been there to protect them.

How am I going to live knowing that I might never get to try and fix the real love I know Robin and I have. And I'll never get to try and figure out what it is that Emily and me have together.

I can't think like this. We just have to save them.

Lucky sits, near the front of the cave, his legs sprawled, the near empty flask in his hand. With a high and awful sounding voice he sings "I'm a Barbie girl in a Barbie world. My boobs are plastic, it's fantastic. You can brush my hair and-" he pauses when he sees the guys rushing past him. "Hey w-where are you guys going?"

"It's the girls, they might be hurt and we need to get to them now. Come on Nikolas. Lucky you can wait here."

"We're not leaving my brother here. He's coming with us."

"We don't have time to drag him along. Emily, Liz...Robin. We don't know what's happened to them."

"He's coming and it's final." Lucky's head swivels back and forth between the two, confused about their argument.

"Fine, but we need to hurry." Patrick says because he just can't waste time. The thought of never hearing Robin's laugh again, never holding his child, even never seeing Emily's smile. It was all too much for him to bear or even think of. They had to be okay. He didn't know what he would do if they weren't.

And if they weren't okay and he had to risk his life for theirs he knew what he had to do. He would save them every time.

**Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend  
Somewhere along in the bitterness  
And I would have stayed up with you all night  
Had I known how to save a life...

* * *

**

_Cabin_

Robin regains consciousness and thinks immediately of trying to get away. But as a Scorpio she knows better than that. Any move, however so slight might allow the psycho to detect the that she was awake.

She pauses and without even opening her eyes she tries to figure out what was going on in the room. Tape covers her mouth, preventing her from murmuring a single word. And ropes were definitely bounding her, so tight and constraining she could barely move.

She notices her hair is now matted with blood from her wound and a massive headache sears her head and pierces through all her thoughts. She fights to stay awake.

The hairs on the back of her neck rise, alerting her that she was not alone in the room. She opens her eyes, ever so slightly, to find Emily, her head drooped to the right. The same grey tape over both their mouths.

He must have hit her too. Her doctor instincts kick in and she wants so badly to try and help her but she just knows she can't. Barely a few feet away from her she sees the stalker in the room, with a bag in his hands.

What is he doing she thinks. She watches his every move intently and finally she figures it all out. As he takes out the gasoline and the matches she knows how it's all going to end. He's going to burn the cabin...with us in it.

Her body trembles as she feels like her life passes right before her eyes.

She remembers the little things. Sitting on her dad's lap, playing dolls with her mother. Growing up without them and getting a second chance. Finding love so many times with Stone, Jason, Nikolas...Patrick.

She remembers the way her parents would call her luv, the many times in life she felt complete happiness... the one phone call that changed it all.

Thirty years was a long time and she had lived a good life. But it wasn't enough. She needed there to be more than this. There had to be.

* * *

Patrick and Nikolas placed Lucky's arms on their shoulders as they briskly walked in the direction they hoped lay the cabin. 

The alcohol was really starting to get to him yet even with his massive headache he still felt the pain of his leg.

"Guys, sl-slow down. It's probably j-just a joke. Ha ha, good one. The women we l-love all stuck in a cabin being k-killed off one by one. I wonder if they'll ma-make a movie like that and-"

Patrick freezes and looks Lucky dead in the eye.

"We don't have time for this Lucky. Do you understand what's going on? The people we love might be dead," he says as his voice begins to rise. "Do you still think it's a joke?" He finishes his sentence disgusted at Lucky. He couldn't blame him for being drunk but the fact that he was slowing them down pushed him beyond the brink of anger.

They continued to walk on, through the snow that had finally come to halt. All until they spotted something in the distance.

Nikolas squints in the distance trying to determine who or what it could be. "I think it's a person. We need to get over there." He begins to drag Lucky and consequentially, Patrick to the left.

"You think up a lot of things Nikolas and none of them are even close to intelligent. We don't have time to be stopping for what's probably a deer."

"No, I think its a woman." He rushes to them and reluctantly, the rest of the men follow.

There lay Elizabeth's seemingly lifeless body. Her blood seeping through the snow. Her hair was in disarray and her face and body dirty and wet. Even her bracelet was missing from her wrist.

"Elizabeth," Lucky calls and he immediately drops to his knees and puts her in his arms. His face goes pale as he stares into her face and sees the light from her that would always brighten his day, finally fade.

This can't be happening. "Elizabeth, wake up baby. We're going to go home and see the kids and we can put this whole thing behind us." No response. "Come on, Elizabeth, its not supposed to end like this. We were supposed to have a lifetime of our love and die together when we're old and grey. Don't do this to me." He says as he finally begins to break down, the tears, ravaging his body making it hard to breathe. "Elizabeth!" He screams.

Patrick and Nikolas look on with pain expressions not knowing what to do. Nikolas finally gets on his knees near his brother, placing his hands on his shoulder for comfort. Patrick kneels, checking Elizabeth's pupils and pulse. He drops her wrist and they all know.  
There's no way to reach her. She's already gone.

Lucky looks on and as his body goes cold and the tears fall endlessly from his eyes to her pale cheeks. But she can't be dead--I love her.  
He shrugs off Nikolas' arm and begins to pace around her body, looking for something to keep his mind of the fact that she's dead.  
"Her locket. I need to find her locket...It's the symbol of our love and she can't lose it. When she want it she'll wake up. I have to--I have to..."

"Lucky, she's gone," Nikolas has to tell him.

"Why couldn't I save her? How could I let this happen" Lucky drops to the floor as the tears rack his body and he lies next to her, knowing that this will be the last time.

"I loved you Elizabeth. More than you can ever know. You were my first love...my angel and I don't know what I'll do without you. You'll always have my heart. I'll love you forever."

They all kneel there around her. Overwhelmed by the loss of someone they had loved and cared about for so long. Each in different ways.

Patrick tries to keep that lone tear from falling from his eyes and looks in the distance to try and stop the pain he feels.  
He'd be damned if he let the same thing happen again.

It is then when he sees a dark cloud of smoke not too far away. Without telling Nikolas and Lucky--without them even noticing-- he begins to walk towards it, hoping it cannot be what he thinks it is.

As his stride begins to quicken, his panic grows deeper and deeper. His heart begins to beat uncontrollably and he feels like he's losing himself. Or losing her. Haven't they become the same person?

Their love had grown so deep over the years without them even realizing it. They always knew what the other was going through and how they felt because the connection that they shared was unbreakable and strong. Robin was his angel...

And that would never change.

Yet his worse fears are fully realized when he approaches the cabin only to find it bursting into flames.

He doesn't think before he kicks open the door and goes in. He could not stop, he would not change what he was about to do.

* * *

_Harborview Towers_

Sam walks into the living room in her blue pyjamas to find Jason dressed, looking through the window at the view, contemplating something deeply.

She walks behind him and hugs him. He hugs her back half heartily and she knows something's not right.

"What's wrong Jason. Why are you up?"

He puts his hand through his hair, much like his sister, and thinks about whether he should worry her with this.

"Emily called."

"That's great. She's been gone for a lot longer than we thought she'd be hasn't she? Is she having a good time with Patrick?"

"That's just it. I don't know. She called and she wanted to tell me something but the line went dead before I could understand. I think something's wrong with her."

"But that happens all the time. Phone's drop calls and end conversations. Do you really think its something more?"

"Yes. I can't help but feel that something's not right. The way her voice sounded, so scared, it made my blood run cold."

"Then you know what you have to do right."

"Yeah, but I'm calling Sonny first."

Jason calls Sonny's cell phone and his wife, Carly picks up.

"Jase, it's the middle of the night. What's going --?" Carly says drowsily, falling back asleep before his sentence is done.

"Carly wake up. I think Emily and whoever else is at the Cabin is in danger. I just know it. Tell Sonny he needs to help me get all our people, 911, and the police over there now."

"Got it Jason," she pauses to wake up Sonny and softly relay the message, "He's arranging it all right now. You know we're always here for you."

"I know, thanks. I'm leaving to go to the cabin now. I have to find out what's going on myself."

* * *

Patrick runs into the house. The flames and cinders are all around him, disintegrating everything that once stood. His instinct tell him to go right into the living room and in it he find Robin and Emily, tied up. 

A sudden calmness washes over him as he realizes that it wasn't over and that he could still save them. But he knows they weren't out of the woods yet. He would still have to untie them and take them out of here.

But how? How would he choose which one to save first? But he knew that he didn't have to think about it. When it came down to it, it was always her, Robin, every time.

He thinks as he walks closer to them, finally standing in front of the unconscious Emily and alert Robin. He gently rips the tape off of Robin's mouth and begins the hard work of untying her from the chair.

"Patrick what are you doing?"

"Isn't it obvious? I'm getting you out of here."

"You can't." Robin's says finally.

"Why? Robin what are you talking about? We don't have time for this."

"Emily's pregnant and we both know that with these fumes she can't won't last long. You have to save her first."

"But-"

No buts. No regrets. Just I love you."

"And I do love you Robin. I'm going to come back to you, I swear. Robin, I will always come back to you. " He looks at her and instictively comes closer to her, still prepared to save her first.

"No," she says softly yet determined.

"Okay," he looks at her knowing hell regret her but quicly kisses her once last time. The kiss is fleeting, yet it lingers on both their lips.

He turns away reluctantly. He begins to untie Emily and finally manages to do so. He picks her up and glances worriedly at Robin.

Their eyes meet, and they know everything they've wanted to say without uttering another word. A lifetime of happiness flashes through their eyes but they know that they would have all that and more. They would fight for each other and for their love.

Until the end.

* * *

**A/N:** SO what did you think? And any suggestions about the killer. I think I know who it'll be but mroe suggestion will be apreciated. Thanks to all the readers and reviewers. 

**ILovetowriteSMP:** Yeah i didn't want to have too much drama and no humor. What the wacko does next will be intersting i hope.

**coffegurl5:** Eventually and i think the psycho will be someone you know. I still confused about what i should do.

**bluejaygal:** I think i want them to be friends to but it'll be hard. Thanks for the compliment and i feel the same way abut all your writing.

**carolannw:** I'm glad its leaving you on the edge of your seat and that doesn't change soon. I wonder if help will get there in time.

**talk2much13:** New reader. Very cool. I'll try and keep it up and hope you like where it goes from here.


	14. Savin' Me

**Chapter Fourteen: Savin' Me**

_Cabin_

Patrick carries his wife Emily, through the fire and wreckage that has become the cabin. All the while hoping they would all have time.

Time to get out and do so much more with their lives. Time to live the way they were always supposed to. Time to screw up, to fail sometimes but realize that there would always be someone there for you.

But he didn't have time to worry about that.

He finally reaches the outside and breathes in the cool, fresh air that the fire has deprived them of. He hastily drops Emily on the snow and checks to see if she's still breathing. She is.

So he races back into the cabin for _her_. The one person that he could not lose today...or any day. He begins to try and untie her. It takes even longer than before but he is finally able to get her lose from the ropes that had bound her.

He immediately scoops her up into his arms as he had done so many times before through the years. He puts her close to his chest and as she sinks into him, still hanging on to life as they begin to venture back out of the house.

"You came back." She whispers, her voice shallow and subdued with fitful coughs.

"I'll always come back to you Robin. That's something that will never change."

"I know and I can't help but love you even more for it."

"I love you too." As they continue their outward journey, she holds his cheek as she reaches in for a kiss. But their moment is cut off by sirens in the back round and they continue on, reassured that everything will be okay. But in a second, their hope is shattered.

The cabin begins to collapse and in seconds, or what seems like hours, Patrick and Robin share one look.

Just one final look, before it's over and it all falls to pieces.

They can only watch as the ceiling comes crashing down.

Patrick can only watch as he sees the wood fall down onto Robin's head. And she can only look at him in what may be their final moment.

All this and more happens in the seconds before the cabin comes crashing down, along with their lives, their hearts. Smothering them into oblivion.

* * *

_Outside_

Jason pulls off onto the side of the cabin as his worse fears are realized. The cabin is overwhelmed with giant flames and his sister and Patrick might still be inside.

Ambulance sirens ring out, not too far away and Jason is even surprised to hear a helicopter from above. He notices this but doesn't have time to over think it. He has to find his sister.

He looks out ahead of him and is shocked to see a woman lying in the snow, in the distance. It's Emily.

He races to her and picks her up in his arms not knowing what to do or say. Not knowing if she was even alive. He puts his hand near her mouth and feels her breathing slowly, but she's still alive, it's all that counts.

"Emily, you have wake up." He says and yet he gets no response. The EMTs he sent for just in case something like this had happened come over quickly and begin to work on her. They yell things to each other about smoke inhalation, and possible drugs in her system. All things that he can hardly understand as he stares at her. They intubate her and hook her up to a ventilator as they begin to put her onto the stretcher.

For a few moments, all he could see was Emily. The little girl that had held his hand when he was in the hospital and let him know it was okay to be himself. The little girl that grew up into a woman and became the one person in his life that he knew he could count on every time.

And now that same little girl was in a stretcher.

He puts his hand through his hair, a trait the both shared, and looks behind him to see Anna and Robert drop out of the helicopter practically in front of him.

"Where's Robin? Where's my daughter?" Anna asks fearfully to Jason as Robert holds her. They both watch the cabin.

"I didn't know she was here but I think Patrick's inside. We have to get to him now."

"But Robin told us she was coming with Patrick. They could both be in there." Robert asks.

"We need to get in there and find out."

The three of them begin to race to the house when the firefighters stop them from doing so.

"You can't go in there. The cabin might collapse at any moment and the fumes in there are lethal. Back up and let us do our jobs."

"My daughter could be in there. I've lost too much time with her and I'm not letting her die in there. I'm going in there." Robert says as Anna is alerted to some movement and slight sound in the distance. She looks off to find two people in the distance, and a woman lying on the ground.

"Robert, I think that's Robin. Something's wrong, I just know it." They all run the few yards it takes to get to the three and they realize that it's not Robin lying there on the floor dead. It was Elizabeth Spencer.

"What happened to her?" Jason asks as he sees the mother of his daughter Rose lying there, in the snow. Something tells him that his daughter would not grow up with her mother.

"He-he did this to her. He killed my wife." Lucky whispers from his spot on the snow.

"Does this mean that, that Robin's dead too? Nikolas, where's Robin?"

"I don't know," he says disoriented as he watches his brother hold his wife's hand in his and sob quietly, "she should be in the cabin."

"Wake up Cassadine, the cabin's on fire and if she's in there, she could be, she could be..." Robert lets his voice trail of as the pungent scent of smoke finally registers in Nikolas' brain.

"Oh God, Robin."Nikolas mutters.

They all turn to the cabin as it collapses.

* * *

They stare into the rubble for a split second before chaos erupts.

"My daughter, I have to go save her." Anna screams as she tries to run into the cabin, before Robert stops her.

"She's gone luv." Robert says with tears in his eyes as he tries to console Anna and even himself. The feeling of losing the daughter that he was finally beginning to know just wrenches him in two.

"She can't be." Nikolas says as they all stand in front of the cabin, seeing the fire fighters scurry to get in to the building and finally do something.

But Anna won't have it. "Suck up those tears Robert. There's no reason to cry. We taught her how to survive through everything. She wouldn't-she couldn't..."Anna's voice fades as they watch everything around them.

Lucky on the cold snow, mourning his wife. Emily fighting to stay alive, being put into the stretcher, the rubble of the cabin, the fire finally beginning to diminish...with Patrick and their little girl in it.

How did it all come to this?

The reality begins to sink in for all of them, even though they wish so hard that it wasn't all true. That they could turn back the clock and go back to when they were all happy and could be forever.

Yet even as they begin to realize what may have become their daughter's fate. Anna, Robert, Nikolas, and Jason don't give up and keep searching for some clue that they could still be alive.

"They could still be okay, we just need to keep trying and searching." Jason says.

"You're right. We can't give up on them now. We have to know that they're still in there needing us to help them." Nikolas replies.

Despite the fire fighters wishes they all begin to search the perimeter of the house and remove the woods from parts of the cabin no longer engulfed in flames.

They hardly realize it when Patrick staggers out from the back of the cabin, with Robin's seemingly lifeless body in his arms.

* * *

_Minutes Before_

"Robin! Robin" Patrick yells as he searches for her. The last time he saw her a piece of wood had collided with her head. In the confusion and in the rubble they had gotten separated.

"Patrick." He hears a soft whispers and lifts some wood to get to her, even though his side aches tremendously while doing so.  
"Your okay. I was worried that-I was worried that..."

"I know Patrick, I know." She looks at him as she's on the floor and strokes his cheek. "It's almost over Patrick. We don't have time to both get out of here alive."

"What do you mean? We're going to get through this together."

"I mean that, " she begins as she bites back tears, "you need to go... without me."

"But Robin-"

"I'm stuck and you don't have time to get me out. No Patrick, just save yourself. Get out of here and live for the both of us. Its okay to go." She says as her voice sounds so hoarse and shallow he can barely hear it.

"Haven't you figured it out by now Robin? My life isn't worth living unless it's with you. I will never leave you again" She looks at him speechless as he works to get her free and finally does.

"Your incredible, you know that." She tells him as he picks her up.

"I do and once I get you out of here, I'll have even more reason for my big ego. After all I'm practically a hero. SuperPat, they'll call me." He tells her trying to call her and keep her awake, knowing that after her head injury falling asleep could be dangerous.

"You are so lame Drake." She says, now even more disoriented than before. She begins to close her eyes, as they stand, just a few feet from the kitchen door, barricade by some wood.

"You can't go to sleep Robin. You know you have to stay up."

"I will... I will. It's just I feel so cold on the inside you know. I feel like I'm slipping farther and farther away. I don't know how to stop it."

"Yes you do," he says as he moves the objects in their way. "Just think about all we can have once we get out. Maybe we'll get married some day and we can have lots of kids and a house with a white picket fence. Anything we want, we can have now. You just have to keep fighting for it."

He reaches the outside and goes to the front of the house, slowly because of the pain he feels. He sees so many people out in front waiting for them, disbelief in their eyes. All she sees is a blur.

"They're both out." The head fire fighter yells as they all watch Patrick stagger out of the cabin with Robin.

He places her gently on the snow as her parents, Jason, and Nikolas look on, all relieved and happy about them being alive in different ways.

"Is she hurt? Is she okay?" Are the questions heard all around as Patrick and the EMTs begin to spout medical jargon to try and help her in anyway they can.

"I will be." Robin, tells them right before the intubator is placed in her throat allowing her to breathe and she closes her eyes.

"Didn't you know?" Patrick asks. "Robin's always been a fighter. That's not going to change today."

* * *

_General Hospital_

The helicopter had landed just minutes ago holding Robin and Emily.

Now they were in GH's Emergency Room and as Patrick began to check Robin thoroughly he found that what he saw became more and more unsettling.

He checked her pupils which were now of unequal size and the bump on her head he realized had become so much more. Even though it seemed that she was awake and pulling through, Patrick had screwed up. He had missed all the signs before that told him something was wrong.

She had an Epidural hematoma. If he didn't operate soon, the intracranial pressure would kill her within hours. He would lose her...all over again.

He busted through her room doors and saw his father, on the way too see him.

"Patrick I'm so sorry about Emily and Robin. But it seems like like Emily's pulling through. Some smoke inhalation and side effects from the chloroform but she'll pull through. How's Robin?"

"It's great that Emily's pulling through and you have to know that she's' pregnant before you do anything else. About Robin, I think she has an epidermal hematoma and the bleeding and pressure in her brain can't be good. I need to operate now." Patrick says intense, and determined.

"I'm going to be a Grandpa. That's great and I'm happy for you two. But about you operating on Robin I don't think that's a good idea Patrick. Have you looked at yourself, you're a complete mess and the way your holding your side you could have a broken rib or punctured lung. Even your hands are scared. You can't afford to do this surgery."

"You don't understand Dad," he says insistently, "I can't afford not to. I've screwed up with Robin too many times for us to give up the chance to finally be together. You have to let me do this."

As chief of surgery and even more as a father he looks at Patrick and remembers that he was in his place once. He took a chance and operated on her, the love of his life. And he let her die. For years he struggled with it, and numbed himself through alcohol. He didn't want Patrick to go through all this yet he knew it would be even worse if made him do nothing but watch as she got worse or died.

He nods. "Okay. Scrub up. I'll set you up with a surgical staff now."

* * *

Patrick practically runs through Robin's door yet pauses when he sees Nikolas in there. I feel like shoving him off his seat and taking his place near Robin. But even he deserves a moment with her. I'll go see Emily.

_Robin's Room_

Nikolas sits by Robin and places her hands in his as he gently presses them to his lips.

"I'm not used to this you know. Sitting here talking to you without a single word. You were never one to be quiet and you always speak your mind. That's one thing I loved...love about you."

"I know it's been hard between us and chances are, we'll never be together. But I never wanted it to end like this. I never wanted to see you in any more pain. The doctors are saying all these things that I can't understand and I don't know where it might go from here."

"I just wish you could wake up," he tells her, "I just wish you'd be okay."

He looks at her and wills her to wake up and be okay. To make even the slightest move. Nothing.

_Emily's Room_

Meanwhile Patrick walks into Emily's room and is again overwhelmed by all he sees. He's been in and out of rooms like this so many times but it was different now. It was different watching someone you cared about lying in one of those beds, never knowing if they might wake up.

He takes a seat as his side shoots up in pain. He ignores it knowing that now was not the time get help. Not until he helped them both.

"I know I'm not used to saying things like this, especially at times like these. But I know one thing. I need you to be okay."

"When you told me you were pregnant, I'll admit that I freaked out. To know that there's a little life inside you that we didn't plan on was a lot to handle at first. But we can do it. I know we can. You just need to pull through."

He almost wants to add that he still couldn't giver her and their child the life she wanted. That his heart was still with someone else. But looking at her lying there so sick, he could only give her hope to fight whatever would come next.

He walks out into the room and into the hallway.

Robin's surgery prep will begin soon now that she's stabilized. If I ever screw up on one surgery. I swear, this won't be it. He looks into Robin's room and almost instantly looks away for her. It's just too hard to see her like that, so fragile and weak. Everything about today has just been hard.

He sees Nikolas a few feet away from him and when he peers into Robin's room he sees Anna and Robert in their with her. Maybe I'll wait a few minutes before I go in.

So he leans on the door when all the sudden someone's heart flat lines. He looks up to find out that it's one of the two women he's cared most about in life.

He rushes into her room, all the while repeating, this can't be it. This can't be the end.

It was simple. They all wanted time and the chance to live life and follow their dreams. But it didn't mean they'd ever get it. All they could do was hope, and wish that it would someday be enough...

It never would.

* * *

**A/N:** I love to hear all your opinions, so tell me what you think or what you might want to happen. For everyone still reading and reviewing thanks. I hope you all liked this chapter. The title was based on Nickelback's "Savin' Me".

**lorilou783:** Yeah I think there will be some more Lucky angst in chapter 15 or 16. But his friends will be there to help him through.

**cofeegurl5:** I'm the same way. I cry reading some stories and watching movies so easily. I think my next update will be alot sooner.

**ILoveToWriteSMP:** Yeah I love Scrubs together, they're so cute but I really need to start working on Nem. And i come back fanfic and see you have new stories. I need to check them out.

**talk2much13:** Yeah Liz is dead. I love the character but I figured someone had to die so it had to be her. I'm glad you like the story's direction.


	15. Meant To Live

**Chapter Fifteen: Meant To Live**

There comes a time in your life when everything comes to a complete halt. You pause and realize that you've come to a crossroad and the things you do now will affect your life forever. The choices you make now can mean the difference between the very thing that makes you well and that, which can completely ruin you.

So when the time comes, what will you do? Will you give up or will you keep fighting for the life you deserve?

When Patrick hears Robin flat line he feels his heart stop and his blood run cold. His very breath is taken away from him at the thought of losing her forever and spending another day on this earth without her.

He runs into her room and fights through his strong, overwhelming emotions and love for her. He quickly assesses her condition and knows it isn't good.

Her heart has stop beating and her very breath has been taken from her. He makes sure she's being given oxygen and rips open her gown, defibrillating her, the cold paddles on her chest.

He looks up for some change, anything to let him know she's still with him.

Nothing. No matter how hard he tries there's no change in her condition.

I can't do this. I can't save her, he thinks giving into defeat. But I need to try. Don't I owe us that much?

He does it one more time and his injured hands automatically know what to do to help her. He shocks her once more and again...there is silence except the loud insistent beep that tries to scream to him she's gone.

"Son, I think you should stop. I'm sorry but she's gone. She's gone." Noah says as he and the other doctors and nurses discontinue they're efforts and watch him with pity plaguing they're hearts...they're eyes.

"No she's not dad. Come on Robin. Don't do this to me. Just don't leave me okay? I love you and you promised we would always be together...just breathe Robin. Live," He says just as a single tear falls onto her cheek. In his heart he knows what's become of her.

She's dead.

* * *

_Robin_

Robin opens her eyes slowly to find she's in an indescribable place and sees a blinding light not too far away from her. Just out of her reach. An overwhelming desire tells her to go closer to it. And one-foot ahead of the other, she makes her way to it.

Does this mean, I'm in heaven? Am I dead? Robin says somewhat perplexed but calmed and at peace now. She reaches the door, the gateway to more than she could imagine, and gets ready to open it. But before she does she's startled by a voice behind her, calling her name

Her head stays straight ahead and she doesn't attempt to look back though the hairs on the back of her neck can't help but be raised. I'm just going to get my hopes up. It can't be him...Stone. He's dead, and I can't be. It's too soon.

"Robin, it's me Stone," she turns around and with tears of joy in her eyes she leaps into his arms. She knows it's really him this time, not just another dream. They embrace and she looks at him with question in her eyes. Yet even the doubt is beyond her control and begins to fade away from her mind. All she can do is look into the eyes of her past love.

"It's been so long and you can't even know how much I've ached for you, thought about you everyday. But how is this happening? How are we here, right now, together."

"I've loved you all my life Robin, even before I ever met you, " he starts slowly, "I've watched you over the years and you have grown so much, into someone I admire even more. I never wanted to see you have to come here, not for many years anyway." He pauses and looks at her. "What comes after this is going to be hard. You have a choice to make."

"A choice between what?"

"A choice between where you want to be. You can come with me to heaven and be with me, your sister, and everyone else who's passed. I promise that if you do you will be happy. But you can also keep fighting and live on Earth for many more years to come."

What am I supposed to say to that, she thinks as she looks at him. How can I choose when as every second goes by that light is pulling me to it? It's then when she begins to hear a voice, ever so faint. She hears Patrick innermost thoughts, going out to her willing her to live.

"You can't leave me Robin. We've been through too much to give up now before we get one more chance to be together. I've loved you since the day I meant you and even though I didn't know it then, I know now its something that won't change. Just come back to me and we can live the life we've always wanted together. It might be hard but together we can do it. We can do anything with the love we share."

Her eyes well up as she feels the pain in his voice and wants so bad to be with him. She knows what she has to- no needs to do.

"There isn't a reason in the world that I'd pass up the opportunity to be with you Stone...not a reason but one. I need to go back and see what the rest of my life could be with Patrick. I can't give up now. But I want to know if I'll ever see you again."

"Robin," he says, gently, "I'm always with you wherever you go. I'm in the air you breath and the leaves that fall. I've never left you and once you go back I'll still protect you. I know you need to do this and that you've found an even stronger love in Patrick. We have to say goodbye for now but just know that I want to you to have all the happiness in the world."

"Thank you Stone...for more than even I could have imagined." She turns the other way as she walks out of the gateway of heaven and back into her life.

* * *

_General Hospital_

Just as Patrick begins to lose hope he hears her heart beat.

That beautiful sound that screamed to the world that she was alive and she would be okay. That glorious noise that told him they had another shot...for everything.

"She's stable. She's okay. She's alive." Patrick says as happy as a schoolboy as he rapidly rounds the room giving hugs and kisses to the trauma team. He even picks up Steve, an older doctor that he's hated for years and spins him around out of his uncontrollable excitement.

"I know son," Noah replies proud, "I'm happy too. Can you step outside with me for a second?"

Patrick follows and begins to notice that with every step he takes, the pain of his side intensifies. He had stuck gauze over his wound hastily when he knew he was supposed to do more. But he just didn't have time.

"Well Patrick, the baby's doing fine but Emily's condition has gotten worse, even with the oxygen we're giving her, she unconscious and can't breathe well. She needs to have a bronchoscopy and I think you should do it."

Patrick outs his hands through his hair not knowing what to say as he sees the Quartermaines and Robin's parents listening in.

"I'm sorry Dad but I can't. I need to perform Robin's surgery and I can't do two things at once. I chose Emily over Robin so many times and I can't do it anymore. I just can't. The woman I love is in there and needs my help."

Noah begins to speak, still torn between disappointment and anger when the Quartermaines interrupt him.

"What do you mean, you won't perform my granddaughter's operation you hooligan? I ought to wring your neck and have you fired from this hospital." Edward spouts of, still fuming.

"But Patrick, that's your wife and your child. Why wouldn't you put them first?" Monica asks.

"Isn't it obvious Monica, he needs to keep his slut on the side, who else would he call for his late night, booty ca-" Tracy's loud mouth is cut off by her son Dillon.

"But isn't it kind of romantic that he would choose his forbidden love over his wife? It reminds me of that movie called-" He too is cut off by Jason.

"If you don't do this and save my sister," Jason says intensely, "I can't make any promises for your safety or for the fact that you'll wake up to see daylight again." Jason grabs his shirt as Patrick stared him down, not wanting to cause a scene. The whole family, Edward, Monica, Alan, Dillon, Ned, Tracy, Skye and even Sam and Alice are silenced as they look at Patrick, curious too what he would do next.

They all cared for Emily in their own ways and even Patrick had become part of the family. They couldn't understand what had happened to it all. But they all knew the lengths they would go to protect one of their own.

"Let him go Jason, he needs to do this. When you love someone especially like Robin you can't control what your heart makes you do. I just wish it didn't have to end so badly with you and my daughter." Though Alan loved his daughter fiercely, over the years Robin had become just as much of a daughter to him as Emily and he too knew how special she was. He wouldn't dare try and inhibit Patrick from saving her first if that's what he had to do.

Jason lets him go but continues to try and stare him down.

"Thanks Alan," he then turns to the rest of the Quartermaines, "I told you I can't do the surgery, my dad can do it instead. You can say whatever you want but I have other things that need to come first. I can't deal with this anymore." He slowly walks into Robin's room right before she is rolled into the O.R.

"You scared me for a second there Robin. You know you can't ever do that again right? Your operation's in a few minutes and soon you'll wake up and be just fine. Before we do this I just wanted to let you know that-" Before he could finish speaking Mac comes into the room with Robert and Anna not far behind.

They all shake his hand and thank him for saving Robin yet he can tell they have other matters at mind.

"Patrick," Mac begins, "I need to question you about what went on in the cabin. We have one-person dead, three injured, and a burned down building. Do you have any idea who would this or why?"

"No, I don't. I assumed it as a man since he targeted all the women but I'm not even sure of that much."

"Did he or she leave any clues to who he was or if he might try again?" Anna asks Patrick.

"No. I would love to help you more but I need to start Robin's surgery now." He leaves the room.

As he begins to scrub up and wash his hands he remembers the time when Robin kissed him right before his surgery and all the things that had come from that moment.

They had come so far.

Patrick goes to his stereo and as his tradition was played a song for good luck. Something he would need now. As the sounds of Switchfoot begin to bounce throughout the room he picks up his scalpel and begins the surgery.

**Dreaming about Providence  
And whether nicer men have second tries  
Maybe we've been livin with our eyes half open  
Maybe we're bent and broken. Broken.**

Later on in the surgery Patrick drills a hole over her temporal lobe and begins to suction out the excess blood in her cranium. He makes a small incision in the bottom just as a wave of excruciating pain hits him. He wants to yell out but he knows he can't. He had to be the one to finish this surgery and do it right. It was too rare and hard of a surgery for him to place Robin's fate in a less experienced doctor's hands. No he would finish what he started, no matter what the cost.

As he begins to finish cutting the incision in the back of her skull he realizes the shaking of his hands is becoming hard to control. Damn it, what's wrong with me he can't help but think.

It takes hours but surely enough he finishes the surgery and stitches her back up with the help of the surgical team. He prescribes the specific medicine and morphine to give her and specifies the time when the anesthesia should wear off and she should wake up. Should, but maybe couldn't or never would.

Yet he continues to congratulate the staff as his pain continues to intensify.

"You all did a fantastic job and because of all of you I think Robin will be just fine. Thank you. You can't know much this all means to me."

And with that, he passes out. An unconscious heap on the floor. The doctors scramble to do something to help him but sometimes, just sometimes, nothing can be done.

So did he make the right decision? To save her over himself? Or would they both be left with nothing?

Nothing was sure but if Patrick knew one thing, he knew that he could not ache for the chances they had lost and he would not trade a single moment they had ever shared.

Not now or ever.

**We were meant to live for so much more  
Have we lost ourselves?  
Somewhere we live inside**

**

* * *

**

**A/N:** So what did you think of chapter 15? I l know I had fun writing it and researching some of the medical information. AS always, thanks to the wonderful people who read and/or review.

**lorilou783:** I know even if I did have Emily killed off the baby would die so I couldn't do that. I went back in forth between who it would be. But i figured I wanted a Scrubs only chapter so I picked Robin

**coffegurl5:** I hope no one else does to but there are somethings in this story that are still up for grabs. I keep changing my mind btwn what I'm going to do. And there will be alot of Nem in either ch. 16 or 17.

**talk2much13:** Thanks. I love having you guys worry but I really want this story to lighten up a little.

**ILovetowriteSMP:** I'm glad that you liked how I wrote the chapter. Thanks.


	16. On The Way Down

**Chapter Sixteen: On The Way Down**

Sometimes you take a look at your life you realize that something's been missing all along. That you've lived your life waiting for the other shoe to drop or expecting to be unhappy forever. You have no reason to smile when you wake up in the morning and slowly you lose your will to live.

But sometimes you take a risk and see that the one person missing has been there all along, waiting for you. The one person who can love you so completely and unconditionally that they give you a reason to fight for yourself and for everything. You realize that when you're on the way down all you have to do is hold on to each other. You'll be saved every time.

Patrick opens his eyes to find himself in a hospital room, no longer in the OR. He struggles to remember what led him to there and suddenly he begins to remember.

He remembers finishing the surgery and hoping Robin would be all right. The pain in his side began to intensify and he passed out; it was an unreal experience. He remembers hearing voices fade in and out, talking about broken ribs and atelectasis, or a partially collapsed lung.

So that's how I he got here. He lays back and relaxes as he waits for a doctor to come in and talk to about his condition. But all of the sudden he sits up startled, as he realizes that he doesn't know what's happened to Robin and if she is okay.

He looks around the room for the door, ready to try and leave his room and find her. But than he looks to his right and sees her lying in the bed beside him.

She was there all along.

He sees that she's still okay in every aspect but one. She hasn't woken up yet. He slowly and painfully climbs out of his bed and into hers. He holds her tight without saying one word, just wanting her to know that he was there for her, waiting for her to open her eyes.  
He falls asleep in her arms and wakes up hours later to hear mumbling. He almost thinks he's still dreaming when she takes of her oxygen mask and speaks.

"Patrick?" She says his name as a question, as she thinks 'Am I really here alive?' She knows the answer to the question and looks upward, thanking Stone internally for giving her the choice to still be here.

"I'm here, Robin. I'm here."

"What happened?" She asks him disoriented as she remembers the hell they went through at the cabin. Everyone has to be okay she thinks and I'm sure everyone got out just fine except for some bumps and bruises.

"We'll talk about that later okay." He says, not wanting to worry her now.

She lays silently for a while, contemplating everything.

"You know, I'm starting to realize something."

"What?"

"That you saved me. And I don't mean by surgery or anything like that. I mean that when I was ready to die and walk into heaven I heard your voice, willing me to live. I knew then that waking up wasn't an option. I needed to be here."

"Just like I knew losing you wasn't. Don't think that I'm the reason we're here Robin. You saved me too. I know my condition isn't serious and that I wouldn't have died if you weren't here. But you saved me from something else. A life that I didn't want to live and a heart that ached for you."

"When did we become such saps?" She asks with a slight laugh, "you would think we came straight off a soap opera."

"Yeah, maybe. It's just that when I look into your eyes all I see is love." He says exaggerated, playing along.

"You sound like Fabio."

"Fabio? I'm obviously way better looking than him. How about Johnny Depp?"

"Hmm..." She says as she scrunches up her face pretending to think, "Nope. Not really. He's way hotter."

"That burned Scorpio it really did." He says comically, but then he gets serious again. "I really do love you Robin. You know that don't you?"

"I do and I don't think its something I can ever forget again. I love you too."

They kiss passionately and then close their eyes and cherish this one moment. This one moment that they could be together in each other's arms so beautifully and didn't have to let go. Time and movement stopped for so much more than a single moment until the moment was suddenly gone.

Yet it was still there inside of them, waiting to come out once again.

So than maybe the moment wasn't gone at all. Maybe it never would be.

* * *

_Emily's Room_

Emily wakes up in a dim hospital room. She opens her eyes somewhat confused as to all of what had happened, her mind cloudy and disoriented.

But then it all comes flooding back to her making her wish that she could forget it all instead. She remembers all that happened

at the cabin, finding out she was pregnant and not knowing who the father was. Seeing Patrick falling completely for Robin and maybe, just maybe her realizing the feelings she still had for Nikolas. All these things couldn't even compare to the fact that her best friend was dead.

They had gotten so close in the year and were sisters, in every sense of the word. And now it was over. She would never see her again.  
She shudders at the thought and lifts her head to see her family, asleep and strewn throughout the room. Alan and Monica on the tiny couch, their heads side by side. Dillon rests his head against the windowsill with Edward and Tracey right under him in chairs. Jason's head rested on her bed and right beside her was someone else special to her.

Rose. She looks so much like her mom she thinks as she pictures the blue eyes under her closed lids. Does she know yet, can she even understand? Memories of losing her own mom overwhelm her as she stares at the three-year-old girl. I have to get out.

She tiptoes outside of the room, already tired, to find a wheelchair already waiting for her. Someone must have known she's sneak out. Nikolas?

She wonders where he'd be right now and as she wheels herself through the hallway. Suddenly she knows and takes a left until she reaches the room. She looks into the AA room to see Nikolas and she walks herself partially inside.

"Hi, my name's Nikolas and I'm-I'm an alcoholic," he struggles to admit the shameful fact but feels he has no choice. He needs to say this, "I came to one meeting over a month ago and have been lying to my wife and everyone else that I've been clean ever since. That I've stopped this life consuming habit of mine. But I haven't. Now my soon to be ex wife is lying in a hospital bed and the women that I'm falling for all over again is sick too. If I lose them like I just lost my best friend, Elizabeth, I don't what I'll do. But I do know what I can't. I can't fall into alcohol again. I won't."

Emily watches as all this happens, proud that he was really trying to change his life this time. It was hard to get over addictions but she knew he could do it. She believed in him.

He meets her eye as he goes on with the late-night meeting. When it's done he gets ready to wheel her back into her room when he thinks better of it and brings her into the lounge instead. He sits down as he places her right in front of him. They look at each other silently and then they hug each other tightly.

"It's good to see you're okay and already sneaking out of hospital rooms."

"I just couldn't sit still, you know. I don't want to think about what happened even though I know it might help me deal with it. I can't stop thinking about Liz," she pauses and tries to change the subject, "I'm glad your going to AA again. Your taking your life back, something I always knew you could do. It might be hard but you can do it. I believe in you."

"Thanks." He says as he stares at her, now silent.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Emily questions as his deep gaze begin to tries to penetrate her soul.

"It's just that you're beautiful. On the outside but even more within. I think I've been remembering that even more lately. Along with all we've been through together."

"Me too. Sometimes I miss us being together."

"I do too. Maybe we could...try to see what could happen between us. We both still have feelings for other people, that's a fact, but I know we can't deny that whatever was between us before never really went away. I think-" He's cut off by Emily kissing him, really quick and waiting for his reaction.

"Isn't it too soon for us to be doing that?" He says even though he didn't mind the kiss as much as he thought he would. It felt good to recapture one of the many moment their lips had met, and make it an almost new experience.

"It's always too soon, isn't' it? Never the right time or moment, or even the right person. People always say that maybe they met at the wrong time and or maybe if they had made better choices things could be different, perfect. But I've come to realize that life can't be perfect." Emily says as she continues emotionally," We screw up everyday and we can't change the mistakes we've made in the past. All we can do is try and live life in the moment with no regrets. Let's do that okay?"

"Okay."

* * *

_Patrick and Robin's Room_  
Robin and Patrick lay in bed somewhat tired yet still awake as they wait for the sun to rise. The fact that they can even see the sunrise once again is incredible.

"So what are we going to do when we get out of here?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean we should do something crazy to show we're still alive. Skye diving, bungee jumping, bear wrestling." He says the last option as a joke but the look on his face feigns seriousness.

"After all we've been through, I really don't feel like risking my life again. How about we do something more calm. Like taking a trip or something. And not Vegas like you're probably thinking. Paris so I could show you all my favourite places and we can finally get away from it all together."

"That'd be nice," he genuinely admits, "but why not Vegas? We...we could get married by the day of our release if we really wanted." He searches her eyes for what she might be thinking but for the first time, he can't read her.

"But would we even want to do that? Do you think we're ready?" We love each other and we want to be together. We both can't deny that. But I don't want him rushing into something and later regretting his decisions. Even though I think one day we could make it work.

A silence arises between them as they look out the window to see the rising sun shine light on their faces. Letting them realize the new opportunities dawning on them at this very moment.

All the mistakes and regrets they had ever made didn't have to affect them anymore. They could be happy, more so than they were now. But were they ready?

The answer to these question lays upon their lips, still unspoken. Before they are ready to let their feelings about it all be known the door opens.

"Patrick, I need to talk to you."

No matter what was said next by the person that entered the room, the feelings Patrick felt for Robin would not change. Neither would his question in this moment or the next.Robin was the one who saved him on his way down. He wouldn't forget the way she loved him and he would never let her go again.

_On the way down I almost fell right through  
But I held onto You

* * *

A/N: So what do you think of chapter 16? I figured it should be calmer after all the drama of the last few. But of course the angst isn't close to over. But I'm still torn over who's the psycho. Any suggestions on who you think it could be and why would be greatly appreciated. Thanks to everyone who's read and reviewed and i hope you all keep doing so_

cofeegurl5: Liz is dead but everyone else is fine for now. I'm going to out alot of nem in ch. 18 i hope but in 17 patrick will have a long talk with the person at the end. and I'll be crying all next week to when Alan dies. So sad.

talk2much13: I don't think i could kill Robin CC. But with that psycho out there still everyone's life is up for grabs.

lorilou783: Glad to be your distraction from homework.

IlovetowriteSMP: Thaks for giving me the idea that they needed to be together and couldn't let eachother go again. I used it at the end.


	17. You Lost Me At Goodbye

**Chapter Seventeen: You Lost Me At Goodbye**

Even when you know the end has been in sight sometimes you can't help but feel the need to hold on to something that you know has been gone for a while. But eventually, you realize that there comes a time when you have to say goodbye.

"Patrick, I need to talk to you."

When Patrick and Robin look up to see Emily at the door, they all stare at each other for a moment, speechless. Patrick's eyes wander back and forth between Robin and Emily and he knows that he doesn't want to get out of this bed and leave Robin.

But something in Emily's solemn eyes tells him it's important and he should go. So he looks down at Robin who nods and painstakingly lifts himself off of the bed. He walks out of the room and into the hospital hallway with her. They get ready to begin the short walk to somewhere private; Emily's room. At least until they hear the loud, booming voice of Epiphany Johnson. Patrick and Emily freeze at the sound of her voice like guilty kids, caught with their hands in the cookie jar.

"Now what are you two doing out of bed? I know the doctor told you that you need bed rest, which does not mean you should be gallivanting around the hospital. I swear doctors make the worst patients."

"But Epiphany-" Patrick starts.

"But nothing, now you two get to bed. I don't care where, just do it," she says demandingly but then her voice softens, "you know I want you two to be okay, don't you?" Even though she hated to admit, she had grown to love the couple and consider them friends over the years.

"We know Epiphany. We know," Emily gives a hug to the woman she's known for years as Patrick gives her a fond smile. They enter her room and close the door.

They sit on her bed facing each other as an awkward silence sets in. It's not that they don't know what to say, it's just that they don't know how to say it. How to admit that it's the end.

"So how are you doing?" He asks. I don't think I should rush into what we really have to say.

"I'm fine and the baby, our baby, is okay too. I heard you passed out while operating on Robin...you care about her don't you." She finally admits what she's seen in him all along.

"Yes, I do...I love her."

"You know, if you had told me that a few weeks ago I don't know what I would have done. I would have been angry, hurt. I would have blamed myself. But now, it's different. We've searched all our lives to find love and we thought we found love in each other. I'm realizing that maybe we were wrong."

"But you know I really cared about you when I married you, right? I still do. You were my best friend and we've been through so much together. We confided in each other and tried to give each other the love and comfort that we've needed all our lives. It wasn't our fault that it didn't work out."

_**You touched my heart, you touched my soul  
You changed my life and all my goals,  
And love is blind but then I knew it, my heart was blinded by you**_

"But wasn't it? I cheated on you and I hurt you. I'm the main reason why we're sitting here, struggling to say goodbye, something we never thought we'd have to say."

"We can't blame ourselves. We went into this thing knowing deep down that we had feelings for other people. I don't regret us and I know you don't either." As he says this she shakes her head in agreement.

"I loved you, you know. And even though I tried, I know I couldn't make you feel the same way."

"I know Em...and because I know that I did love you once, I know that we have to finally let each other go. We need to say goodbye."

The tears that had threatened to fall from Emily's eyes finally do as she cries for the ending of something that had been so important to her for so long. Patrick hugs her, showing in is own way that even though things would be different he would always be there for her. That was something that wouldn't, couldn't, ever change.

But still, in a way, he lost her at goodbye.

_**I've seen you cry, I've seen you smile.  
I've watched you sleeping for a while.  
I'd be the father of your child.  
I'd spend a lifetime with you**_

* * *

_Robin's Room_

Robin watches as Patrick and Emily walk out of the door. She told him he could go with her, but she didn't really want him to go. Knowing that they were still married and still loved each other in some way. That they were going to have a child together...

She knew the next few months were going to be hard. Even if they do break up, it was not like they can go fully go their separate ways. Not really anyway. They'll have something that will bond them forever, the same thing that I can never give him.

When did I become so pessimistic, she wonders as the thoughts weave in and out her head. Patrick loves me and we're together now. Soon our divorces will be finalized and them having a child won't change that.

It's not like I can't have kids. It will be harder; I know that, but maybe one day...

She sighed in frustration of hearing herself think and looked out into the hallway to clear her mind. It was then that she saw Nikolas, not too far from her door. Their eyes locked and she motioned for him to come in. They had some things she knew they needed to sort out.

"Nikolas, how are you doing?"

"Fine compared to everyone else. I was the lucky one."

"So I saw you out there with Emily before. Does that mean you're getting back together?" In a way, even though I hate all we went through, I want him to be as happy as I am with Patrick; with someone else. I think she can give him that.

"I don't know, it depends. Would you take me back if I didn't try to get back together with Emily?" He looks at her, still hopeful and Robin can't understand why he doesn't get the point.

"I told you before Nikolas. I don't think I can ever look at you again without remembering all that you've done. All the lies you've told. You hurt me and that's something that I just can't forget, especially knowing that you're probably still drinking." She replies, somewhat resentful and dismayed that he couldn't just say goodbye and admit it was over.

"But I'm not, I swear, that I've changed," he says earnestly, wanting her to understand, "I've been going to meetings now and--"

"That what you always say and it's always a lie, " she says her voice rising, "I won't do this anymore, play this back and forth game with you. Listen to all your lies and act like everything's still fine, like you love me when I know you never did."

"But Robin."

"No Nikolas. I want a divorce, and I'm getting it today."

She looks at him, her mind made up and he knows there's nothing he can do to change her mind. He had told Emily he wanted to be with her and he did but the love he felt for Robin was too strong and however hard he tried, he couldn't get her out of his system.

He storms out of the room angry and knocks over a medicine cart, punching a wall soon after wall. It wasn't supposed to end like this, his mind yells as he walks out of the hospital for some air.

Robin watches this scene unfold not knowing what to say or do next. She never thought saying goodbye would be so hard, but in the wake of what had just happened, she knew. She knew that saying goodbye was the hardest thing that she would have to say.

But knowing that letting go could bring her so much happiness with someone she knew she really loved made it easier it. Made it worth it.

**_Goodbye my lover, goodbye my friend.  
You have been the one.  
You have been the one for me._**

* * *

_Lucky's Room_

Lucky sat on the floor of his hospital room, tears rolling from is eyes. His heart felt like it had been wrenched out from him, cut out and stomped on. Maybe because it had when he lost her.

Elizabeth. His Elizabeth, was dead.

The memories of finding her lifeless body in the snow plagued him. The image of her haunted him each time he tried to close his eyes. He couldn't sleep. All his blood shot eyes could do was stare at pictures of her.

He clutched the picture of their wedding day in his hand as he traced their smiling faces with his hands. He could almost hear her voice fade in and out of his consciousness.

_"... You were my first love, the brave and handsome boy who rescued me. Thank you for loving me that much to make me whole again. We took our separate journeys to live and to learn. I guess we had to grow up a little bit before we could find our way back together. But I know that all the mistakes I made and the difficulties, they were all leading up to this very moment. Lucky, I promise I will never take you or our love for granted. I promise I will always stand by your side, support you, make you laugh, and cherish this amazing gift that I have been given, the gift of loving you as long as we both shall live..."_

_"... Lucky, you were my first and last love. You never left my heart, and you never will. Some of my happiest days have been spent with you, and even in my darkest nights I knew you were out there somewhere, holding on, loving me, just as I love you..."_

He hoped that she was still with him, somehow, watching over him, but he couldn't help but feel so alone.

The love we had was so strong, so deep. I've loved her all my life and before I even met her I know that my heart was waiting for her. When I finally found her we wasted so much time. Time that we can't get back now but at least we found our way together.

We were so close to having it all, forever...

What did I do wrong to make this happen? How could I let her die?

He hadn't even told their children yet. Cameron, Christian, Rose. Two of them weren't even his biologically, but emotionally, they were a family in every way. Now how could he look into their eyes, and see her face. How could he look at them and tell them she was gone...

How could he even look at himself?

The thought of everything that had happened was unbearable and he left him completely hollow inside.

He wished he could hold on to her just a little but longer but he had to say goodbye...in someway or another, they all did.

**_I'm so hollow, baby, I'm so hollow.  
I'm so, I'm so, I'm so hollow_**

* * *

**A/N:** So what do you think of this chapter. I hope by chapter 20 I'll have a start in the climax of the story dealing with the psycho and what he has in store. And of course, how its all going to end. As always, thanx to all the readers and reviewers. I love to hear from you. 

**talk2much13:** Can't blame you for hating cliffhangers, I do too. But they do make things a little more interesting.

**cofeegurl5:** Of course you were right, who else but Emily. I figured all of their goodbyes were way overdue.

**lorilou783:** Thanks for your very sweet review.

**IlovetowriteSMP:** Things are going to look up for Scrubs and Nem eventually and hopefully they'll have some more good scenes.


	18. The Promise

**Chapter Eighteen: The Promise**

_General Hospital_

"Ready. Set. Go!"

Robin and Patrick raced to the end of the hallway in their wheelchairs, sparking laughs and smiles from colleagues and patients. Their hands propelling the chairs to go faster and faster, eventually crashing into each other at the end and falling into a sea of laughter.

"Told you I'd win, Robin." Patrick tells her smugly.

"What are you talking about, I just beat you by a mile."

"It's okay Robin, I'd be mad if I was a loser too." He says with his dimpled grin as they finally reach the nurses station.

"You're delusional." Robin says, happier then she's been in a long time.

"I didn't know it was possible for to adults to have so much fun in wheelchairs." Noah mused as he, Robert, and Anna caught sight of Patrick and Robin.

"Well you did insist we used wheelchairs to go home. Did you really think we'd take the boring way out Noah?" Robin says as Noah pulls her into a big hug.

He couldn't help but see him and Mattie all over again when he saw those two together. He always wanted Patrick to find the kind of love they shared. The all consuming, breath taking, forever kind of love that he experienced that eventually slipped through his fingers. Patrick had lost it once but he could tell that his son had finally found it again.

"So what are you two planning on doing when you get home, luvs," Anna asks of the young couple.

"We're still a little sore from the fire, not to mentioned worried. I would say we'd try to stay in but we were never much for rules or being sensible so who knows."

"Don't worry," Robert says looking at his daughter, "I think I've found a lead on who may have done it and I will stop at nothing until I find who did this." Robert pauses as Anna elbows him in the side, "I mean, until we find who did this."

"I know Dad. I'll be back in a second okay, I think I dropped my phone on our way here."

"Okay."

Robin wheels back into the hallway to look for her black razor and finally spots it in the corner not too far away. She wheels to it when suddenly she begins to hear the faint sound of crying.

She moves closer and closer to the sound when she sees a little blond girl. Her legs folded Indian style, rocking back and forth as tears fall through her eyes hazel eyes. Robin pauses as she realizes something. That was me once.

When I found my grandmother, dead, I rocked myself in the same position, hoping to wake up and see that it was all a dream and it didn't happen. If it was, I never got the chance to wake up. Her heart ached for the little girl as she picked her up and sat her on her lap. Giving her a big hug, she patted her back gently; trying to soothe her tears or at least tell her that someone was there.

"It's all my fault." She said through her tears and Robin could only guess at what she meant.

"It's okay. It's okay." She repeated again and again, not really knowing whether or not she was lying to her.

She looked up to find Patrick in front of her with question in his eyes. Questions she could not answer. Patrick rolled them back into the hospital lobby as the others looked on.

"Dad, do you know what's wrong with that little girl?" Patrick asked in a hushed tone as he brought his father a few feet away.

Noah begins slowly, "Her parents died in car crash not to long ago and she got out with barely a scratch. She thinks it's her fault and I don't think she's stopped crying since she's got here. She's five and her name's Isabelle."

"So where's the rest of her family?" Patrick asks worried about someone he had barely known for more than a minute. They both look at Robin and Isabelle to find that she had finally coaxed her into sleep.

"Her parents had no other family but each other. Child services should be coming anytime now to place her in a foster home or an orphanage. It's really sad."

As he finishes this sentence, Ms. Sneed, a spiteful social worker steps out of the elevator. After asking someone where Isabelle Livingston is, she proceeds to walk to Robin and practically rips Isabelle out of her hands.

"What are you doing? She's sleeping." Robin says protectively.

"Well I don't have time to wait for the little brat to sleep okay. I'm leaving with her now and bringing her to a state orphanage."

"No you're not." Patrick's comment shocks both Robin and Ms. Sneed. "Robin and I are taking her home, for now. Put her in our temporary custody and we'll look after her." Patrick catches Robin's eye to make sure she wants the same thing and sees the same determination in his.

"I really don't have time for this, she can't go with you and that's final."

Noah steps in, "Robin Scorpio and Patrick Drake are law abiding citizens and caring people that any child would be lucky to have. You can check their records and you'll find the same thing. Put Isabelle in their temporary custody or I will call Mr. Braun and Mrs. Devaugn, head of the CPS and your job will be handed to you in a pink slip. If you think I'm wrong, try me."

"I'll look into that n-now," she stammers as she begins to make the necessary phone calls and sign papers. Robin and Patrick thanking Noah profusely. Minutes later she comes back to the group of five and begins to speak, "You are her temporary guardians, for the time being but if you slip up or do something wrong she'll be removed from your custody and placed into an orphanage." She walks into the elevator and out of the elevator in a huff.

"So, where do we go from here?" Robin asks of Patrick as they both try and figure out the answer to that loaded question.

* * *

_Emily's Room_

Emily pulls the black dress over her head, in mourning of her best friend. Sitting on the bed, and putting on her comfortable flats, she hears a familiar knock at the door.

"Come in," she says and Nikolas walks in, flowers in hand. He sees the dried tears on her face and wraps her into a tight embrace. He pulls his head away from her shoulders to look her in the eyes and tell her one thing.

"We're going to get through this okay. Together."

"Promise?" She says, hoping that he can at least give her that.

"I promise."

They sit on the bed as another knock sounds and Dr. Kelly Lee walks in. She checks her vitals and writes the necessary information for her release.

"Looks like your fine and ready to go. And I have even better news for you Em," she says, giving her friend a smile, "your test results came back negative."

"What test results?" Nikolas asks and looks to Emily for an explanation as Dr. Lee walks out.

"Before we had even came to the cabin, I started feeling weak and nauseous. I passed out at the hospital and I thought...I thought the cancer could be back." She sees the slight look of panic that arose in is eyes. "But I'm not, it was just my body's reaction to being pregnant."

"I'm so happy that you're okay. That the baby's okay." He places his hands on her stomach, feeling the slight bulge of her being a few months pregnant. "I just wish that...wish that it could have been mine." He feels a slight twinge of anger. "Why couldn't you just be pregnant with my kid. Why does Drake have to take everything I want." He says in an outrageous outburst, breaking the case of flowers in his hands. "Damn it."

"Everything?" Emily says quietly, "Like Robin?"

"I didn't mean it like that. I meant-" He says as the twinge of jealousy dies down and some guilt kicks in.

"I know exactly what you meant Nikolas." Emily says as she storms out of the room.

She closes the door to she find Kelly not far away. She grabs her arm and leads her into a supply closet, the cloest place of seclusion she can think of. Kelly looks surprised for a second but soon settles down onto a bucket.

"The tests have to be wrong Kelly. They couldn't have come up negative." Emily wrings her hands out as she paces the small area in disbelief.

"I'm sorry Em," Kelly responds, her heart going out to her old friend, "Patrick isn't the father. It must have been..."

"Nikolas." Emily says as she finishes her sentence.

"But this is a good thing, right? You two are dating now. What's so bad about the paternity test's results?"

"The fact that I don't how, or if, I'm going to tell him."

* * *

_Robin's Penthouse_

"Nice place." Patrick says as he nods approvingly.

"Thanks." Robin says as Patrick comes from setting Isabelle in her new room for a much needed nap. "I bought it when things started to get bad between me and Nikolas. When I moved out, he was right behind me, moving in. But that's finally over now. I just called Alexis. She's finishing up our divorce."

Patrick nods, "Emily told me she would call Ric to give us the papers we need to sign. It should be officially over soon."

Patrick walks over to Robin, sitting on the couch. They both lay on the black couch, her bandaged head rested on his chest.

"You know, I think Isabelle would love it if you...if you moved in with us." Robin says hopefully.

"Isabelle or you?"

Robin sits up and looks at Patrick. "It's no secret that I love you and I want to be with you. I want you to move in with me."

Patrick just looks at her and smiles.

"Is that a yes?"

"How could it be anything else?" Patrick says as he pulls her back into her arms and they kiss. The kiss deepens as Robin's hands move to unbutton his shirt. They know they've been coming to this point for a long time and embrace the idea of making love once again. Yet they are forced to stop as they screaming from upstairs. They rush into Isabelle's room hoping that the murderer didn't somehow slip through the bodyguards and hurt her. They walk into the room to see her sitting up on her bed, tears falling from her eyes.

"I want my Mommy and Daddy." She says earnestly, and their hearts break at the sight of seeing this young girl so broken.

"It's okay, Isabelle, it's okay." Robin says as she brings her into her arms. She hesitates but finally relaxes in the only comfort she's found since her parents' death.

"Your lying, it'll never be okay again because they're gone, and they're never coming back." Patrick pauses for a second, crouching down to her level, not knowing what to say.

"I lost my Mommy too once and I know that it's hard. Robin and I won't try to replace them because they're still with you. Right in there," he says as he points at her heart, "But we'll look after you and love you."

Robin watches the two of them and her eyes tear up at the sorrowfulness of the situation. And the possibility that one day, they could become a family.

"Promise," she says as she looks up at them wih her soft hazel eyes.

"We promise."

And they meant it. If ever a promise was made so deeply, they didn't know but one thing was sure. They knew that somehow, they would make it work and that this and all their unspoken promises would not, could not, fall apart.

* * *

**A/N:** Thanks to all the lovely reviewers. You guys are great. 

**talk2much13:** thanks. Lucky wasn't in this chapter but he will be in the next few. He's going to find out some interesting info about the possible murderer.

**cofeegurl5:** i love that song too. and you were right it was way past time we found out who the daddy was and it just had to be nik.

**lorilou783:** i hoped the chapter was okay.

**joetheaeromonkeyrox:** you like it, that's always good to hear. and gh has been crazy lately. the hostage situation has been great but i can't believe tat jason propopsed to liz and alan's going to die.

**IlovetowriteSMP:** Thanks, I wanted to try and make the two breakups different. Nik wasn't exactly mature about it was he. And everything with Liz might not be over for the five left.


	19. Collide

**Chapter Nineteen: Collide**

"...May she find peace in the arms of the Lord. In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen."

The wind wiped through the air as the citizens of Port Charles finally bid farewell to the beloved friend that once was Elizabeth Webber. Robin zips up her jacket trying to stay warm but she feels, like everyone else, that something was missing. There was a coldness, a detachment about the whole situation and the fact that one of their friends was gone to them forever.

And the knowledge that anyone of them could be next.

They watched as the casket was lowered into the ground and everyone turned to go home and try to move on with their lives. All but Lucky, who sits there numb, sobbing over his loss of Elizabeth.

Patrick, Robin, Nikolas, and Emily try to console him, but they can't help but feel helpless. Eventually they are forced to leave him, with the body of what once was Elizabeth Webber.

Three hours later, Robin and Patrick sit across from each other at one of Kelly's tables. Robin props her head up with her hands, elbows on the table as Patrick tries to read her.

"What's on your mind?" He asks even though he already knows. They could always read what the other was thinking. Their connection was too strong for anything less.

"I don't even know," she says as she takes one last sip of her coffee, "it's just, I still can't believe she's gone, you know?"

"Yeah. Elizabeth was always such a good friend to me." They wade in the peaceful silence for another long moment before Patrick takes a long look at his watch. "It's almost time to pick up Isabelle. I hope she loves the surprise we have for her tonight."

A smile reaches both of their faces. It was still hard for the little girl, learning to cope, but even with all the obstacles, they couldn't help but feel like they were slowly, but surely, becoming a family.

"She's five. How can she not love the winter fest carnival? Who knows, maybe it'll take her mind off of things. And don't think I don't have anything planned for you too."

"Are you trying to say you have something in store for me, Robin Scorpio?" He asks giving his signature Drake smile knowing that Robin could barely resist it. But she couldn't tell him yet.

"My lips our sealed," she says as she puts her finger over her lips, reminding Patrick of how soft her lips are. As they begin to walk out of the door Patrick possessively puts his arms around her tiny waist, pulling her into a lip lock. Fully absorbed in each other they hardly realize when Nikolas and Emily walk into the door. Emily heads toward a seat across the room but Nikolas has other ideas at mind.

"Get away from her." Nikolas says as he pushes PAtrick away from Robin.

"What are you doing Nikolas?" Robin asks.

Nikolas ignores her as he points his finger at Patrick. "Stay away from her."

"Nikolas, back off. Robin's with me now and I'm not going anywhere."

"We'll see about that." Nikolas says as he pulls Robin away and punches Patrick in the face. He staggers for a moment but as they fight Patrick gets the upper hand, standing up and leaving Nikolas on the floor.

"Nikolas, whats wrong with you?" Emily asks incredulously. He had been acting weird the past few days, almost like he was a completely new person. He had become angry, lashing out at everyone and she just couldn't understand why. He was with her now and Patrick was with Robin. Could he just leave well enough alone?

"What the hell was that for?" Patrick asks, the same as everyone had been wondering. Kelly's Diner goes silent to find out.

"You shouldn't be with him Robin. He's too--"

"Too what Nikolas? Too much in love with me? Too much of an honourable guy? You sleep with god knows how many woman and you have the nerve to fight Patrick because what, he's with me?" She immediately kicks him in his manhood. "That's for being an asshole," Robin and Patrick storm out of Kelly's livid as Emily stays and helps him to a table.

"What's going on with you? I'm worried," she says sincerely as she tries to wrap her hands around his. Yet Nikolas isn't in the same place as her.

"Can you just shut up Emily! God!" He says harshly shaking his head as he rips his hands out of her arms. The silence and tension filling the room as they sit there and wonder how and why they had gotten to this point.

* * *

_  
Robin and Patrick_

Hours later Patrick and Robin sit in her BMW in comfortable silence as a Howie Day softly plays from the radio. They had started the day off horribly with Elizabeth's funeral and their fight with Nikolas but they had reached a new level of happiness when they had brought Isabelle to the Winter fest Carnival.

Seeing her eyes light up at the sight and sounds of the world made them feel like they were seeing everything for the first time. It was amazing how such a little girl could impact them in such a way. It as incredible that they could reconnect so completely once again.

Now they were driving to the date that Robin had promised. Hands instinctively linked as they sung to the song Collide.

**_Even the best fall down sometime  
Even the wrong words seem to rhyme  
Out of the doubt that fills my mind_**

The car screeched to a halt. Patrick clutched the door handle, opening it and walks over to Robin's side to open her door too. A smile reached his face as he noticed where she had taken him.

"The cabin. Our cabin." Though the two had not bought it but they had shared something undeniably special here and emotionally; it was theirs.

"Yeah," Robin said sheepishly as they walked towards the door, "I know the last time we stayed in a cabin didn't go well at all but now it's just us for this one night. I know it'll be different now that it's just you and I." They walk across the threshold and both sit upon the hardwood floor. Robin turns the radio on softly.

"I love the way you think."

"Do you remember the first time we were here?" She asks randomly, slightly wondering if he could have forgotten but knowing that the memories were seared in her mind.

"There's no way I could have forgotten a single moment...to think it was almost five years ago. Now look were we are."

"Two almost divorcees with a psycho after them and tons of issues and--"

"Completely in love," he says finishing her sentence. Really, that was what counted the most. She leans on him.

"You know our lives aren't getting easier. We've been thinking about adopting Isabelle and with our workloads it will be hard. Not to mention that in a few months you'll be a father and we're going to have to see our exes all the time. But still, I know we can do it together. It's just..."

"Just what?" He asks, genuinely interested.

"I don't feel sorry for myself; that's a fact. I know that I've had hard times with my life but so has everyone else. It's just that I wish that I could give you everything. That I could promise you a lifetime, loving you, marrying you, giving you kids. I want it all so bad but with HIV I just can't help but be scared that everything we've worked for so hard can slip out our hands. I can't let that happen again."

"And you won't have too. Promise me the moment and that's all I need. Seconds with you, doing nothing but just looking into your eyes or laughing at one of your lame jokes is worth years with another woman. And I can't believe how long it took me to realize that. Letting go is not an option."

He hugs her fiercely, burying his face in her hair. He then slowly looks down at her from his place on the floor, tilting her head up to capture his lips in hers. He pauses to say one thing.

"I love you Robin Devane-Scorpio, not for or a week, or a month, or a year. Forever."

"I love you too."

They continue to kiss passionately, grasping each other tightly, both hungry for the other's touch. One thing leads to another and they begin to explore each other's bodies, once again with their hands and their mouths. Patrick kisses her neck until he's completely out of breath. They look each other in the eye and realize that what's about to happen is not the 'no strings sex' they once had. They were going to make love in all the sense of the word.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" He says, protective of her feelings, not wanting her to get hurt.

"I've never been more sure of anything in my life."

With that he lifts her small body close to his and walks the few steps towards the bed. He lifts off her shirt and lays on top of her. What happens next is completely mind blowing to both of them and reminiscent of their first time as they collided.

Their rekindled love is set ablaze and as Patrick once said, it gets ready to light the world on fire.

**_I somehow find  
You and I collide

* * *

_**

_Lucky_

There are times when life gets so hard and complicated that you feel that your back is pressed against the wall and you can do nothing to stop the world from hurting you and the ones you love. So you struggle against your enemies and you hold on to those you love in life. But what happens when you realize that the people you trust have secrets and the one who's been trying to hurt you is the same person that you've held close all along?

Hours later Lucky finally wrenched himself from his Elizabeth's grave and walked home, thankful that Audrey had taken the kids. He still couldn't face them.

He barely realized it when he finally went home and walked into their bedroom...it still smelled like her. He couldn't help but remember all the times her would bury himself in her neck and smell her rose petal perfume.

Yet that like everything else in his life was fading. His eyes welled up at the thought that he would lose her more and more with every moment he lived without her. Yet, he tried not to fall apart.

He wandered into their room and before he knew it he was opening the wooden chest that Elizabeth had placed near the foot of their bed. He put down his crutches and sat down on the floor near it. Opening it he saw random belongings of her that made him smile. The pictures they had taken in New York, some of the beautiful painting special to her and so much more. With half a smile he prepared to close the chest when something fell out.

A small key falls into his hands. He wonders where it could be from and can't help but feel the urge to find out. He steps into their closet and after rumaging around he fins a small, locked box. The key fits perfectly and as he opens it he is suprised to find a purple diary placed inside. He fingers the cover contemplating whether he had any right to open it. Whether she would want him to or if wherever she was in death it would even matter. He decided to go for it and picked a random entry.

D_ecember 15, 2010 _

Emily's invited Lucky and I to spend a weekend at the cabin with her and Patrick. This is the perfect starting point for my plan. It's funny how they still think I'm good wittle Elizabeth, best friend to all. If only they knew...they all deserve to bleed for what they've done to me and trust me, they will. Payback's a bitch, isn't it?...

He threw the book on the floor wanting to get as far away from its lies as possible. Bile rises in his throat at the thought that maybe it could all be true. Those words were not the Elizabeth he knew. He didn't know what that was.

Tempted, he reads on through the pages and pages worth of her hate and loathing. Plotting to hurt them for something he couldn't understand that they had done. Her crazed fantasies realized in what had occurred at the cabin.

She couldn't have done that. Could she? And if it's true than she can't be dead. So many thoughts raise in his head and he grips his skull with two hands wanting it to all stop.

Questions unanswered, he shuts the book.

* * *

**A/N:** One cryptic note about chapter 20: Not all is as it seems. Thanks for the reviews and all the feedback guys. They keep me going with this. And just had to add less than ten chapters left in this story. I'm having fun writing it though.

**cofeegurl5**: I'm hated that Liz waited so long so I don't think i can do the same. But i can be evil sometimes so who know

**lorilou783**: Gload you thought it was sweet

**ILovewritetoSMP**: I think it would to, the alternative would have brought much more problems. And Isabelle isn't officially there daughter yet but still I think it would be good for them to bond with her and put them in a good place

**talk2much13**: Isabelle is definitely going to have an important part in the coming chapters. You'll see what I mean.


	20. Ripple Effect

**Chapter 20: Ripple Effect**

_"A pebble in the water makes a ripple effect. Every action in this world will bear a consequence. If you wade around forever, you will surely drown. I see what's going down." _

_Emily's Home_

Emily sat on her bed that night, biting her nails as she wondered how she could tell him this.

She knew she needed to tell Nikolas that the baby she was carrying was his but how could she do it? She lay back in bed with her hands protectively on her stomach as she worried about how he would take this.

Her mind flashes back on the past few weeks as she realizes that the Nikolas she was with was not the same as the man she once knew. He was bitter, resentful, and most of all angry and that was what worried her. He had his moments that he could be so warm and loving but like the flick of a switch he would lash out in waves of anger.

But she had to believe that he could handle this. She looks up as she sees him walk into the room. She gets off the bed.

"Nikolas…I need to talk to you."

"I'm tired, can you leave me alone." He says coldly as she continues.

"But it's important and it's waited long enough," she continues at his silence. "Before I say this you have to know that I never intended to lie to you and I really thought it was the best, for everyone. But I can't keep living this lie anymore and I can't keep lying to the man I love. You…Nikolas this baby that I'm carrying is your child." She places his hand on her stomach and in mere seconds he rips it away.

"How could you lie about something so important? What gave you the right to keep this from me?" He yells, grabbing her wrists tightly.

"I thought I loved Patrick at first and I thought that this could bring us together, but I want to be with you now Nikolas. I want to start my life with you and our child."

"You lying bitch. You never wanted me. You've been pining away for Patrick from the start."

"How could you say something like that to me?" She asks truly hurt and angry, "maybe its because you don't love me and plan on drooling over Robin for the rest of your life. She doesn't want you. She never will. Why would she? Your only half the man that Patrick is."

For a moment time freezes and before she knows it, Nikolas slaps her across the face, knocking her face down into the carpet. Tears in her eyes she curls up on the floor speechless and scared.

"Get back to bed." He says calmly as if it never happened and helps her up of the floor. He shuts the light and goes to sleep as Emily lies awake hurt, inside and out, wondering where she would go from here and how she would get out of the painful circle that had suddenly become her life.

* * *

_Patrick and Robin_

Days later Patrick and Robin sit in the doctor's lounge; completely content talking about the little things of life. Anything they could possibly talk about was made better when they were together.

"So you're looking pretty good in your scrubs Dr. Hottie. Hot date tonight?" Robin asks as she rests her head on his shoulder.

"I do look good if I don't say so myself. It's Saturday and I'm Patrick Drake. Of course I have a date." He says as if it's the most obvious thing in the world.  
"A date? Not a blond rhyming with the word Snarly I hope."

"Nah. She's more of the beautiful brunette types. About yay high," he motions his hands a foot from the floor, "I'll let you in on a secret though. I think she loves me, that or she's completely obsessed because whatever happens she just wont let me go. It's so hard to tell with a guy like me."

"Sure Patrick. What ever you say." She says amused in a sarcastic way. She motions to walk out of the lounge and back to work. Yet before she reaches she gets dizzy and her steps falter. Patrick rushes to her side, always there to catch her before she falls.

"I'm okay." Robin says pushing him away.

"No you're not. You practically fainted just now. It could be from your brain surgery a few weeks ago. I'm ordering an MRI, a CT Scan, a--"

"Patrick slow down. I'm probably just tired or maybe I'm getting the flu. I'll just find someone to cover my shift so I can get some rest."

"But—"

"Trust me. If I think anything is wrong you'll be the first one I call." Still concerned, he begins to relent yet walks her to the locker room to make sure she's okay. As she walks in he reluctantly goes back to work.

Robin walks up to the second row of lockers and pauses when she sees Emily with only a bra on. Bluish-purple bruises evident on her body along with another on her face, showing up through her heavily applied makeup.

"Emily what happened?" Robin asks concerned, as Emily turns around shocked to see her.

"It-it's nothing," she stammers as she hurries to put her long sleeved shirt back on, "I fell down the stairs yesterday. That's all." Robin carefully takes her wrist and Emily winces as she leads her to the near by bench.

"Is he, is Nikolas doing this to you?" She questions carefully as something in Emily's eyes tells her she's right. "You can talk to me. He shouldn't be hurting you like this."

"It isn't, He didn't…" Emily pauses at a loss for words as tears begin to fall from her eyes. It was hard to lie knowing that the abuse had only gotten worse.  
"It'll be okay. I know those bruises aren't from falling down the stairs Emily. If he's doing this because of the drinking you have to get out now before it gets worse. For the baby's sake."

"Oh God," she mutters as she realized that this wasn't only affecting her. By letting him do this, she was putting her child in danger. "He didn't mean to," she whispers. She stares up into Robin's eyes and is immediately ashamed that she would tell her this, despite the fact that they had developed an odd, unconventional friendship lately. She runs out of the locker room.

Robin sits there, as she realizes what she has to do. Determined she mutters, "I have to go see Nikolas."

* * *

_Robin_

Robin drives through the heavy rain silently contemplative as she makes her way home. Her vision somewhat blurred through her headache.

What was he thinking she wonders and she tries to think back on why Nikolas changed? Is it because of me? Was he mad because I wouldn't take him back and decided to take his anger out on Emily? Or has his drinking gotten worse? He never hurt me, anything except emotionally when we were together. What's changed so much in him since then? She can't help but feel guilty as she runs through the possibilities.

She begins to think of Patrick and what he would do if he found out that the mother of his child was being hurt that way. She knew they weren't together but that didn't mean he wouldn't care. Even when it seems that love has died, a little part of it remains, making you care about the other person, despite what you may think.

So she pulls out herself phone knowing that she has to tell him whats goins on. She gets the automatic voicemail. Did this have to be the one day he forgot to charge his phone. She left a message anyway.

"Patrick, its me, Robin. I need to talk to you as soon as possible...its about Emily and its really bad. I think you want to sit down for this." She closes her phone.

Minutes later she walks through the door of the penthouse she shared with Patrick and Isabelle, and waits for Nikolas to come in. She had called him just minutes earlier and he agreed to meet her there. Minutes later a knock sounds and she opens the door for Nikolas. the He walks in and they sit down.

"You wanted to talk?" How could he be so nonchalant after what he's done Robin can't help but ponder.

"Yes I do." She gets right to the point. "I know what you're doing to Emily. Nikolas and it's going to stop tonight."

"I don't know what you're talking about." He says, turning his head away as he thinks angrily over how Emily could tell her.

"I think you do. Why do you insist on hurting yourself and the people you supposedly love. Doesn't life suck enough without you doing the things you do? What do you feel more like a man when you knock down in a drunken stupor? What happened to you?"

"What happened to me? You did. When I needed you the most you were gone. You couldn't handle the drinking so you gave up and left. What kind of wife does that? A slut or a bitch?" He says as his voice heightens.

"I'm not listening to this anymore," she says, shaking her head, as she tries to walk over to the door and shows him out. "You need to leave."

"I'm not going anywhere." He says as he bolts the lock of the door and looks at her with a sick smile of his. Only then does her fear surface.

* * *

_General Hospital_

Emily scurries to one of her oncology patients, chart in hand when she suddenly bumps into Patrick. Their papers mix on the floor and they both hurry to pick them up as they mumble sorry. Yet as Emily looks up at him she sees that something more is on his mind.

Robin couldn't have told him, she silently repeats and resolves to make sure that whatever on his mind has nothing to do with her. "Is everything okay Patrick?"

He hesitated for a moment. "I'm just worried about Robin, she almost fainted today." He's surprised that she could actually seem worried about Robin. Maybe they don't have to keep hating each other.

"Is there anything I can do?" She responds as they help each other up.

"I don't think so. I'm just going to bring her dinner and check on her when my shift is done in a few moments."

Emily knows she shouldn't do this but blurts out "Do you mind if I check on her with you? I have to talk to her."

"Sure. I don't think she'd mind and knowing Robin she's not resting anyway. Meet me in the lobby in five minutes Em."

"Okay." He begins to walk away but she stops him for one more thing, "and Patrick I'm sure she's fine. I mean, what's the worst that could happen?"

They couldn't possibly understand how bad things could escalate nor how the next few days would end. If only they could have known...

* * *

_Robin's Penthouse_

"What are you doing, Nikolas. Just go or I'll--"

"You'll what? Call your lover boy to come save you? No one's helping you know. I want to make you feel the pain I felt when you wouldn't take me back and I realized you hated me."

"Nikolas--"

"Let me speak." He yells as he punches her in the face. He doesn't stop there. He punches her once again sending her sliding into the wall.

As Robin lies there, tears flowing uncontrollably from her eyes, she tries to fight him back but she can't. He's too strong. He begins to kick her over and over throughout her body and she realizes that he has to stop eventually; it can't possibly get worse than this.

But it does. As a flicker comes across his eyes he begins to pin her to the ground and lie on top of her. She painfully realizes whats coming next.

"Please don't do this Nikolas. Just stop please."

"Think of it as an early divorce present," he says, as he looks at her, sick and twisted. "You deserve it baby." He begins to pull off her pants as she struggles to kick him and when he attempts to kiss her she spits on his face. She wasn't letting this go down without a fight. His anger escalated as he hits her once more and finally releases her of her pants.

Outside in the hall Emily hears screaming and searches for Patrick only to realize that he had forgot something downstairs. She uses the key he had handed to her minutes ago and opens the door.

She is floored at what she sees. Nikolas on top of Robin. Close to raping her. She sinks to the floor shocked as she is disabled by her fear and memory of her rape. Yet as she catches her breath she gets up and tries to help Robin.

"Get off of her," she tries to push him away but he won't budge. That's when Patrick walks in.

Robin. Oh God. He thinks as he rushes to her side.

Pulling Nikolas of Robin he runs up to her and holds her lightly for a minute as he whispers, "It'll be okay." His face in her hair. Its then when he sees Nikolas trying to slink away. He doesn't want to let her go but he knows he has to do something. So he grabs Nikolas and starts beating him mercilessly, all the while thinking that he hurt Robin, my Robin, the woman I love and he deserves to die for it. His anger compelling him to get more violent with each moment as he gains the upperhand of the fight.

Emily hurries to Robin's side and simply holds her as she cries, half naked, and they watch the scene in front of them scared. Emily pulls out her cell phone and dials 911.

"I'd like to report an attempted rape...He's still here...Penthouse #3, Boston Avenue...Hurry!"

Emily turns to Robin. "Did he?" she asks scared to know the answer.

"No..He didn't." They pause for a second as they see the fight worsen. "Patrick, don't kill him. He's not worth it."

"Do you see what he did to you Robin? He deserves to die for hurting the woman I love. And I will never let him hurt you again." Patrick hits Nikolas once more and instead of passing out or fighting back he begins to have a seizure. Patrick backs up.

Suddenly four armed police officers bust in along with some EMTS. The police officers break up the fight as the EMTS access Robin's and Nikolas' condition. Yet instead of handcuffing Nikolas they take Patrick into custody.

"Patrick Drake you are under arrest for battery, assault, and attempted murder."

"But he was just trying to protect her." Emily yelled as she was ignored.

"You have the right to remain silent. If you give up the right to remain silent anything you say can and will be used against you in the court of law. You have the right to an attorney."

"Patrick," Robin called as she slowly staggered up to him and hugged him and until she was forced to let go. Their hands ripped from eachother.

"If you cannot afford it, one will be obtained for you before police questioning."

"Robin! No let me go. She needs me!"

He struggled against the officers as they hauled him into the police car, the EMTs putting Robin and Nikolas in a stretcher. Emily riding in Robin's ambulance.

The rain falls down upon them, mixing with their own wet eyes as the sky opens and its tears fall for all that they had gone through and all that would happen next.

* * *

**A/N:** I'm sick right now and I feel like crap but thanks for your reviews guys, they make me feel a little better. Thanks for your continued support. And about in two chapters, the psycho will be revealed. Don't think you know all the aswers now, they're will be a big suprise when it comes to all of that.

**ILovetowriteSMP:** I guess Nik hasn't gotten a grip yet. I would say mroe about it but that would blow the next few chapters. And Lucky is still guarded about revealing the diary but maybe after what happens next, he'll be forced to

**talk2much13:** Glad you liked the last chapter and the calm before the storm with patrick and robin.


	21. Gunning For A Showdown

**Chapter Twenty-One: Gunning For A Showdown**

**  
**Robin sat in her hospital room, alone, not knowing what to think. Through the curtains she spotted her family but she couldn't let them in yet. She needed time to figure it out and think.

She wasn't raped. 'She wasn't' she repeated but did it really change much? To get even that close to being violated from someone that you once loved so dearly and completely. She didn't know how she felt about it because she couldn't understand.

How had they gotten to this point and how would they all come out if it? She raised the blanket over her shoulders to warm herself at the cold thought that she didn't know the answer.

But there was one thing she knew. She wanted Patrick to hold her and tell her that everything would be okay. That she could put her faith in him enough believe him completely. Yet something inside her, a voice that she couldn't understand told her that this could only end badly.

She lifts up her head as a knock sounds at the door; her Uncle Mac, Chief of Police. He sits on the side of her bed.

"How are you feeling?" He asks of his niece.

"Do you really want to know the answer to that question? I feel like crap." And she did, the bruises all around her body, showing up through her hospital gown and on her face were all too much for her Uncle to bear. "But I'll be okay. The doctors say that I was lucky enough to not have broken any bones and have only minor internal injuries. They might need to run some tests but they can do that later because I need to leave."

"Robin, do you see the condition you're in. What in the world would posses you to try to leave the hospital?"

One word. "Patrick," after a moment she adds, "He needs me to be there as much as I need him," a single tear threatening to drop form her eyes, even though she tries so hard not to do this, not now. "He's sitting there in a jail cell now all because of me".

"That's what I needed to talk to you about. I need to know what happened for the police report."

She looks down, not wanting to have to relive the events of that night. "I was at the hospital earlier on and I wasn't feeling well so I decided to leave early. While I was in the locker room I saw something that had compelled me to talk to Nikolas about."

"What did you see?"

"Emily...I saw bruises on her and I had a sick feeling that he was behind it. So I left Patrick a voicemail and called Nikolas. When he came I got straight to the point and told him that what he was doing was wrong and he needed to stop. He got angry and started telling me that I was a bitch for leaving him and that I deserved to pay..." as she pauses, Mac squeezes her hand, helping her go on, "He just flew into a rage an he wouldn't stop hitting me, he wouldn't let me go. He pinned me to the floor and started taking off my clothes."

"Did he...did he rape you?"

"No," she says shaking her head fiercely, "That's when Emily and Patrick came in. He was only trying to protect me Mac. He started hitting him and Nikolas started having a seizure. It wasn't his fault Mac. You need to get him out. Nikolas is the one that deserves to be in jail."

"I'll try. But its not looking good. The PCPD attained a warrant to search Patricks old and new places of residence. We checked his emails and what he found was disturbing. Multiple emails sent to an unknown someone showing Patrick's plotting to kill Nikolas. They basically described his anger over Nikolas having Emily and described in depth how one day, some way or another, he would kill Nikolas in cold blood. Even worse we found a gun."

"But he loves me. He wouldn't be jealous of Nikolas having Emily because he has me. You have to be wrong."

"I hope we are Robin, but the evidence is stacked against him. He's looking towards 10-15 years in prison. Maybe he'll get off because we know Nikolas had a past of alcoholism an recent violence. But it all seems to be premeditated. Nikolas is still unconscious we're waiting for word of his health; If he dies, it won't look good for Patrick. Justified or not, he might not see daylight for a while."

Everything after that is a complete blur to Robin as he finally leaves and shuts the door. The possibility of losing the love of her life was too much to bear and she refused to let it happen. She had waited too long to have him back in her life and if she had to crawl out of her room and plan a prison break for him, as crazy as it might sound, she would do it. He was worth it.

* * *

_Port Charles Police Department_

Emily walked into the PCPD asking to see Patrick. She knew that he was out of his mind with worry in his cell and she couldn't fight the urge to try and help. And she knew that even though now wasn't the best time, they had some things they needed to talk about.

She looked up to see him walk into the visitation room, guard close at hand. His handcuff was chained to the table as the guard walked over to the far corner of the room.

"How's Robin?" He immediately asked, anxious.

"She's okay, I think, she didn't want anyone to see her."

Damn, he can't help but think. She needs me to be there for her and I promised I always would. But instead I landed myself in jail.

"Do you know when I can get out? They're not telling me anything," The one question she didn't really want him to ask because she knew he wouldn't like the answer.

"The seizure that Nikolas had didn't seem to be bad but he's unconscious and we don't know if he'll make it .And the emails and gun they found in your penthouse are making the case against you even worse."

"What?" he askes, sincerely without a clue as to what she was referring too.

"You really don't know what I'm talking about? The emails that you wrote plotting to kill Nikolas were all found. That along with a gun, unlocked in your sock drawer. We've all known eachother all our lives and I knew you didn't like him Patrick but I never understood how much you hated him until I heard. I guess you saw his true colors before all of us did."

"Listen Em. I didn't write any of those emails, I didn't plan what happened that night, and it isn't my gun. You know that I would never jeaoparidize Isabelle's safety by having something like that in the house. You have to believe me."

She searches his face to see if he's lying.

"Your telling the truth aren't you? Well than I'm sorry Patrick but if your convicted you might not get out of here for at least ten years. Longer if Nikolas dies."

He is speechless for a second, unable to fathom spending years of his life behind bars without seeing Robin's beautiful face each day, feeling her love.

"You know, you think I'd regret it. What I did but I don't. He deserved it. I just don't get what Robin was doing there and why they were fighting." He pauses to see Emily's head hang in guilt. "What's wrong Em?"

"It was because of me...Robin saw- she saw my bruises." He gives her a questioning glance until she continues, "This wasn't the first that Nikolas let out his anger. He's been hurting me for weeks." She lifts up her sleeve to show him just one of her bruises and he realizes the reason for the light gone in her eyes.

"Oh, Em," he manages to muster, giving her a one handed hug from across the small table, "are you okay, is the baby okay?"

"The baby's fine, really Patrick...but there's a lot more to it that I haven't told you. I just got tangled up in the lies and the shattered dreams that we could have been happy together. And even after I got over the past it was just too hard to tell the truth. I don't know how to say this...The child that I'm carrying isn't yours Patrick. It's Nikolas'."

"Why couldn't you just tell me?" He asks slowly, processing it all. It had took so much time to get used to the fact that in a few months he would be a father and he'd be able to love a little child of his own. And now, all of it was gone. A little piece of his heart was wrenched away from him and it hurt. It really hurt.

"I don't know. But I'm sorry. You can't know how much I mean that." She walks out of the room and with one last glance she gets a small look into his heart. His world was spinning too fast for him and he couldn't stop the blows from coming. He was going to need sometime to think about it, and sadly he'd have all the time he could get.

An hour later Ric Lansing walks into Patrick's cell confidently to see him laying in bed, staring at the wall. He springs up at his voice.

"You're a lucky man, Dr. Drake. Even with Alexis' opposition I've gotten you released until your trial date. Nikolas is stabilized so the judge had some confidence to let you go seeing the circumstances. All you need to do is sign a paper on your way out."

"Thanks Ric. I owe you." Patrick gets released and minutes later he reaches the hospital. Passing by Robin's room, he looks through the window to see her alone, curled up to the side. He knew she missed him just as much as he did. He pulls open the door.

"Patrick," he wraps her into a huge hug, lightly making sure not to cause her anymore harm as he displayed his affection through soft kisses. Inadvertently for a split second, she backs away and retreats inside herself, instantly regretting it.

"I didn't mean to Patrick. It's just, so much has happened lately. With what happened with Nikolas, the emails tellling the world that you wanted Emily and have been plotting to kill Nikolas with that gun, its all just been too much. I just need time to let it sink in."

"I never sent those emails Robin. I love you and only you. Thats not something new that sprung up out of nowhere. I've always felt that way, it just took me some time to admit it. And its okay if you can't believe me right now or if your not ready to trust me. Whatever you need, whatever you're going through I'll be right here by your side if you want me to. I love you Robin and that's not going to change."

She places her hand in his, "I believe you and I love you too," they pause for a moment, "but I've been thinking about tonight for a while. I can't believe that Nikolas would do everything that he did to all of us. It just doesn't feel right. What if the psycho/ murderer or whatever is behind this. Brainwashing him into thinking we're his enemies."

"Maybe. But people can change for the worst Robin. Maybe it was just Nikolas' stress or drinking that led him to it. Even if he wakes up out of his coma, who knows if we'll ever find out the motives for his behaviour. And to think that he'll be raising what should have been my child. I won't let him anywhere near that child."

"Slow down. What?"

"He's the father of Emily's child. I just found out today."

"I'm so sorry. I know how much you loved it already."

"Me too. I didn't realize how attached I was getting to a child I hadn't even met until I found out that I wouldn't be its father. And the fact that I loved it, gave it a piece of my heart, makes it hurt all the more. But it's okay; or it will be. I have all the family I need, you and Isabelle." A realization strikes him, "I bet she's worried."

"She's fine. Our parents took her out for a night of fun to make sure that she wouldn't notice anything was wrong. I made sure they told her that Patty and Robbie went on a little trip and would be back soon. And that they love her very much."

"Thank God."

They're silent for a while, just happy to be together as they let the reality of it all sinks in.

"You know I'm starting to realize something more and more with everyday."

"What?"

"When my world's spinning out of control and I feel like I'm losing it; one thing's the same. You're always here for me. You're always the one who knows exactly how I feel and your always there to slow it all down. How'd I get lucky enough to have you?"

"I should be asking myself the same thing. You're amazing Robin, completely amazing."

* * *

_Emily's House_

Days later, Robin, Patrick, Emily, and Lucky sat around the living room deep in thought. They had decided that if the police couldn't catch the psycho that was after them they would take things into their own hands.

"How do we even know this freak's still out there? We haven't seen any sign of him for a while. Maybe we're all overreacting."

"Overreacting? Don't tell me that you don't feel it. Those eyes on you, at all times of the day. Don't say that you don't know we're all being watched and sooner or later he or she or whatever the hell that psycho is, will strike and hurt us all over again. Who knows, maybe he already has." Emily lets out.

"What do you mean?" Lucky asks as he puts an arm around her, letting her know he was there for her.

"I think she's trying to say that maybe the murderer had something to do with Nikolas losing his mind and doing what he did. For all we know, maybe it wasn't the drinking, maybe he was drugged. He probably framed Patrick too."

"Robin I'm glad you believe in me but don't stand up for that low life bastard. He knew exactly what he was doing and-"

"Don't talk about my brother like that Drake."

"It needs to be said," Patrick shot right back, "the murderer did horrible things. Terrorized us, burned down the cabin, killed Elizabeth but we can't blame him for everything."

The room goes silent. All of them contemplating the facts once again. Lucky remained indignant; knowing that his brother was innocent because he knew who the killer was: Elizabeth.

The loud shrill of the phone's ring broke through the silence and startles them all out of their thoughts. They simply stare at it for a second until Robin picks up the receiver.

"Hello," she hears heavy breathing on the other end as the hairs on the back of her neck stand up and she knows exactly who's on the other end. "What do you want with us? Why are you doing this?" She yells into the phone as the others stare on. Patrick is close at her side.

"You know exactly what I want, dear Robin. And I'm getting it tonight. I want all of you to meet me at the graveyard at midnight. I have business to settle with everyone one of you. I'm warning you now that if one person misses the meeting or decides to involve police, blood will be shed."

She hangs up the phone, Robin still in shock of the prospect of tonight silent pulled by Patrick into a comforting hug.

"What did he say?" Emily asked quietly.

"He used a voice morpher. He told us to meet him midnight at the graveyard and warned us that anyone stopped him from getting what he wanted someone would die."

"We're not going." Emily insisted.  
"No. If that cold-blooded freak wants a showdown, he's sure as hell going to get one hell of a fight. This madness is ending tonight." And with the last word, Patrick walks out of the house as they all go they're separate ways to prepare for what was happening next.

* * *

_Harborview Towers _

Patrick walked up to Harborview Towers with Isabelle's hand in his and Robin by his side.

"Patty, can you set up a race car track with me tonight?"

"Are you sure you'd like the race car track instead of playing with Barbies?

"Patty, who wants to play will plastic when you can be racing a car 100 miles per hour with the track ahead of you and all the adrenaline? It'll be lots more fun."

"You know, you two are a lot more alike than you think." Robin says as she looks on at the two, admiring how alike they were inside and out. She knew that Isabelle wasn't their daughter, not by blood anyway, but in all the ways that counted they were slowly becoming a family. She secretly hoped, she admitted, that she wished their family could grow even bigger with time and they could have a child of their own some day. Either way they all loved each other, completely, and she couldn't help but want nothing less from them forever.

They had it all and in that moment they were happy. She wouldn't let that change tonight.

"Patrick, I need to pick up some papers for work. I'll see you later okay." God I hate lying to him but I have no choice. She kneels to reach Izzy's level and gives her a big hug, Patrick not long after, "Love you two. See you later."

She immediately heads down into the PCPD and seeing Robert right where she thought he'd be, pushes him into a secluded room.  
"Dad, the murder has set up a meeting tonight with all of us and I need your help. I need to get wired."  
**

* * *

**

Emily walks up to Patrick and Robin's penthouse, lightly knocking on the door. He opens the door and leads her to sit down.

"What's up?" He asks, sensing the obvious apprehension on her countenance.

"Nothing, I'm just really worried about tonight, so I decided to go see Jason, he lives a few doors down."

"Okay but is there something else on your mind?"

"What do you think about guns?" She blurts out, instantly regretting it.

"I don't like them. I entered a profession to help people and guns do just the opposite. But sometimes they're necessary and if I had to choose between letting someone I love be hurt or holding a gun, I'd choose the first every time. Why do you ask? You know that I didn't put that gun in here, right?"  
"I know. It's just...forget it. I'm going to go see Jason now." And with that she abruptly leaves the room leaving Patrick to scratch his head at the awkward conversation.

Emily walks the few steps to Jason's room and pounds on his door. Explaining her presence with the need to talk. She bares her soul about her feelings with the murderer, Nikolas, everything, and is eventually reduced to tears from a mere hour of talking to Jason. It felt good for her to know that he was the one person that would always be there for her.

Eventually, she cries herself to sleep on the shoulder of the man that was her rock, and as always he lets her sleep on the couch as he ventures out.  
As soon as he leaves she opens her eyes and gets up, walking to the flower pot, to her right. Grabbing the key under it she walks to the desk and pulls out the black safe. Opening it with a key she pulls the gun out and rolls it around in her hand.

'I don't want to have to do this', she thinks but she knows she has to go through with it. 'I'm not letting that freak hurt my friends again'. He's going to have to die.

So as the citizens of Port Charles get ready for what would be the showdown of their lives, Lucky, Emily, Patrick and Robin make mistakes and even worse decisions. They realize the stakes of what they can lose and prepare to lose it all anyway. They would fight, and they would try their best but in the end would it all matter? Could it really amount to much when they were bound to lose it all anyway. Well they would find out tonight, the end would come soon enough.

* * *

**A/**N: The next chapter will be the showdown and the psycho and its motives will be revealed. Oh, and had to throw in that I'm an aunt to a baby named cameran as of monday. I hope you guys are doing great and just have to thank all of you for the wonderful feedback. 

**talk2much13**: glad you were shocked yet still like it. :)

**bluejaygal**: As you can tell form this chapter. Pat is still mad at her but won't let em raise her child with nik. And robin being pregnant with pat's baby. Who knows, she hasn't gotten all of those tests back.

**lorilou783**: nik is still far from okay but robin is getting better. I'm thinking nik needs some help too.

**IlovetowriteSMP**: that thing about nik would make things interesting wouldn't it. but that would be a different story. glad you thought the last few chapters were exciting even though i'm sure this wasn't one of them.

**coffegurl5**: Love the fact that we've been talking back and forth alot. And sorry that it might take a little more of a while for Nikolas' issues to come out.


	22. Into The Darkness

**Chapter Twenty-Two: Into the Darkness**

What is this darkness that has begun to consume us? Does it have a name? Did it sneak into our lives like a thief in the night or have we embraced it unbeknownst all along? Will we ever know when we lost our way? Is it possible to live with this loathing, this fear, in the bliss that we have searched for all along? Or will it one day ruin us?

Can we even get away from its shadows if beyond the mask of evil we find our own visage staring back at us? Beyond the mask do you see your own face?

Lucky, Emily, Patrick, and Robin, all meet outside of the Harborview Towers at exactly ten minutes to midnight. As they walk through the night, the moonlight casting an eerie glow on their faces, they wonder silently what will happen next. Unable to hold their silence for much longer they begin to whisper amongst each other.

"Are you scared?" Patrick asks of Robin as they walk hand in hand.

"If scared means that I'm worried out of my mind and feel sick at the thought that we might never make it out of here again. Yes, I'm scared. I know I should stay strong, my parents would want me too but I can't right now. I just can't."

"You have every right to be scared Robin. I am too. We don't know what'll happen next but I promise that we'll make it through this. And if it helps, your mother didn't teach you the scissor kick and body slam for nothing, right?" A light, somber laugh ensues from the two yet the serious undertone soon resurfaces.

"I want to believe that Patrick. I really do, but something inside of me is telling me that tonight will end badly."  
A few feet away from the couple, Lucky and Emily walk together, immersed in their own conversation. Still the best of friends, they knew that if ever they had to lean on each other before, tonight was the right time.

"I still can't understand who would want to do this, Lucky. Do you think that means that it's someone we've known all along?"

Lucky tenses up at her suspicions, "No. I'm a cop and in a case like this the perp would be someone we don't know."

"But think about it. This person, whoever it may be, has gotten into our heads' and our pasts' to the point that we don't know who to trust. We hardly know which way is up anymore. But I know that you would never lie to me Lucky. I can trust you." She says fully believing the words.

"Yeah…you can trust me Emily. Always." Lucky continues to walk beside her, so torn between what he knows he should say. He should tell them all that it was Elizabeth behind it all, the friend that they had cherished and all grown up with all their lives. The women he once loved. His denial was faltering as he realized that he needed to come to terms with what she did and all the lies she told. If not for his sake, for theirs. They had been hurt so much over the past few months and it wouldn't be fair for him to cause them anymore pain. But how would he say this? Better question, how would it affect them if he remained silent?

He changes the subject. "Maybe you should leave Emily. I'd never forgive myself if you got hurt."

"Lucky, I'm six months pregnant. Do you think I want to be here? But he told us that we all had to be here or someone would get hurt. That can't happen because of me. If I have anything to do with it, everyone's walking out of here tonight safe and okay. We're ending this tonight."

They finally reach the cemetery and instinctively, their feet lead them through the worn path leading to Elizabeth's grave.

No one's there so they wait amidst the darkness, Emily deciding to sit on a gravestone, Patrick pacing while Robin and Lucky simply stood.

Sucking in a deep breath Lucky realizes it was now or never and began to speak.

"Before this all goes down. You guys need to know something, and I'm sorry I kept this secret from you for so long."

"God, more secrets," Patrick acclaims, still unable to hide his frustration over Emily's lies.

"Let him speak," Robin says, putting a hand on Patrick's shoulder as she senses that what Lucky was trying to say was serious.

"I think I know who's behind all of this. I didn't mean to keep it for so long but I just couldn't believe that she could do it. We all loved her so much and I just can't understand why Elizabeth would fake her death and-"

"Lizzie? She loved us as much as we did her, why would she do it? Are you sure?" Robin asks cautiously.

"No. He's wrong," Emily yells. Lucky reaches for her hand but she pulls away, "No Lucky. She was my best friend, my sister, and she died because the sick freak that's behind all of this. Don't you dare blame this on her Lucky, don't ruin the little piece that we have left of her."

"If this is true. If she tried to kill all of us and you kept it from us I swear to God Lucky." After a moment Patrick continues, "You know what, if that freak is too much of a punk to show up and reveal himself. I'll find out on my own." He paces for a moment in the graveyard trying to think until he mistakenly trips on a light gray gravestone. Looking down to see what body lay beneath it he read what was on the tomb. On the surface was written, Robin Devane Scorpio. For her death date today's date was engraved.

Seeing that made something inside of him crack as his worst nightmare slowly began to unfold. Robin had become a major part of his life and the mere thought of losing her made her bloog run cold. He had to find out who was doing this. Before it was too late. He ran to Elizabeth's grave frantically and proceeeds to get down on his knees and dig with his hands, doing nothing but misplacing a few handfuls of dirt.

"What are you doing Patrick?"

"I won't let her hurt you again Robin, I won't. " The tears begin to flow painstakingly from his eyes as he worries about the love of his life and whoever was trying to hurt her. It was all just becomeing a little to real and he didn't know what to do to protect her. He would never forgive himself if she got hurt. Robin joins him on the floor and pulls him close. The warmth of her body causing him to release the angst of his tears shamelessly. Soothing him with her whispered, "It's going to be okay," she reminded him of the reasons for his love for her.

"Who's doing this Robin?" He whispers at first, his head tilting up to the sky as his voice begins to yell, "What do you want with us?" It's then when they hear the church bells ring, sounding the midnight hour and they hear a solitary voice.

"Do you really want to know?" They look up to see the murderer, donned in a completely black outfit and ski mask. A voice morpher evident in her voice.

"What the fuck do you think you sick freak? You have fun doing this, Elizabeth, screwing our lives over, huh. I bet you didn't think we'd find out, and I still can't understand how you could do this. You were our friend and we loved you, we…oh god." Everyone freezes as Patrick stops dead in his tracks; behind the masked figure was the one person that Patrick and Robin loved the most in the world. The one person that could be used to shatter them…Isabelle.

"Patty, Robbie, I'm scared," the little girl whimpers, as the tears fall from her deep brown eyes. A heartbreaking sight the little girl was in her racecar pajamas, her brown hair in loose pigtails.

Robin couldn't help but stop her heart from freezing as the murderer, gun in hand held her little girl. So many times had the people she loved most in her life been ripped away from her, and so many times had she let it all happen. She knew she had been scared to love for a reason and this was it. This one horror of a moment. She had never wanted to feel this feeling again, this pain of knowing that her love could cause someone such pain.

But I promised I would protect her, she thought as she saw the tears seep from the little girl's eyes and she couldn't help but feel helpless. Tears threatened to fall from her own eyes, but she knew she had to stay strong this time. If not for herself, then for Izzy.

Patrick, simultaneously was experiencing some of the same emotions. He had vowed most his life to stay unattached, to not let himself love anyone as completely as he did his mother. Yet Robin, along with this little girl, had captured his heart and refused to let go. He gave in to his instinct and went to get Isabelle from Elizabeth as a bullet rippled through the air and everyone ducked to the floor, motionless.

* * *

_The Park_

Huddled together in the park gazebo were Robert and Anna, listening to the sounds coming from Robin's wire. Mac and Luke were strategizing not far away as Noah listened on, trying to find his place in all of this. They had to decide not to let the Port Charles Police Department in on this for once. This went against everything Mac had based his profession on but he just couldn't bare to see the woman that was once his little girl get hurt because of some rookie's screw up. No, they were going to do this right without anyone getting hurt. At least anyone but the murderer.

They joined together in the center of the gazebo.

"Nothing's going on yet. I say we just wait it out and make sure that we're ready to be there at a moment's notice from Robin and everyone else."

"Don't be foolish Anna. We need to take action now before anyone gets hurt. We can't wait until a bullet comes aimed at one of their heads to do something. We need to sneak in there now and get control of the situation." Robert related to the group.

"I agree with Scorpio over there," Luke said. Always the loose canon he was ready to go to the graveyard and get in on the showdown.

"Hey guys," Noah said meekly from his place near the listening device. "I think you might want to hear this."

"We have this under control Noah," Mac said honestly, "this really is beyond your job capacity; maybe you should just go home. We'll call you if anything happens."

"Listen to me Mac," Noah said loud and urgently, commanding attention, "You need to hear this."

Patrick's voice came in staticky outburst as they all listened intently.

_"I still can't understand how you could do this. You were our friend and we loved you, we…oh god."_

_"Patty, Robbie, I'm scared."_

Anna's phone rang as the men began to talk about what they just heard.

"I think that was Isabelle," Noah said, his face pale at the thought.

"It can't be, she's with Bobby," Robert rationalized.

Anna closed her phone. "She's not. Bobby just called. Somebody knocked her out and when she woke up Izzy was gone."

"Damn she wasn't supposed to get hurt in all this. This means-" Their fast paced conversation comes to a halt as they hear the blast of a gun being fired.

* * *

_Graveyard_

"Anyone try that again and the little girl gets shot." The group gets up from the cold, hard dirt of the cemetery as they realized that for now all of them have remained unscathed. They stand silent, trying hard not to anger the masked murderer.

"We won't. Just tell me one thing. Are you Elizabeth?" Emily asks as the killer sits on a taller gravestone amused.

"You guys think you have it all figured out, don't you? But really, you have no clue. I know what you've all been up to. Day and night, I've watched you, so carefree, thinking that you were free from me. How long will it take for you to realize that you're all bound to die at my hands, sooner or later."

"But I loved you Elizabeth. I loved you all my life. We have three children, a home, and I thought we were happy. Why would you do this? Is this just a sick game to you or do you really think we deserve this?" Lucky asks of what he perceived was wife of six years

"You really don't remember, everything you've done to me? All the ways I've been betrayed by every one of you. And the sad thing is that I loved you all once. Some of you as friends, two of you as so much more. It's a shame really, such a shame."

"Okay, we get it, we betrayed you somehow. Let's just settle this away from Isabelle. She has nothing to with this," Robin sensed that Patrick was beginning to lose control of his anger and she squeezed his hand to try and calm him some. All the while she couldn't help but wonder how her parents were reacting to what they were hearing on the wire.

She couldn't have known that they had figured it was a false alarm soon enough and had settled behind the brick fence, behind them, trying to figure out how they could get all of them out of this dangerous mess. Knowing that they had been lucky enough to remain unhurt they wanted to keep it that way. They had been tangled up in this web of lies, hate, and love for too long and their parents couldn't help but wonder how they had stayed strong through it all.

Robin looks up to find the gunmen with her eyes on her and feel her eyes roam around her body. She can't know that I'm wired she silently prays to the God she had never known. In an instant her fears are realized when the gunmen walks up to her briskly grabbing hold or her arms and bringing her close. She puts her mouth close to her ear as she whispers, "I know your secret."

Lifting up her shirt and reveling the wires she rips them off and slaps Robin.

"I warned you that if you betrayed me, blood would have to be shed. If the police show up I'll have to kill all of you but first, how about I make good on my promise."

She sets the know hysterical five year old down and begins to speak to her.

"You love Patty and Robbie don't you?" Izzy nods emphatically, "and I'm sure they love you too. It's too bad that they're going to see you die." She raises the gun but is interrupted by a Emily's scream of no.

"No, you're not going to hurt her. She's too young to die and I won't let it happen." For a moment time stands still as they all watched what was happening. Emily trembling with the gun in her hand was hardly aware of what she was doing. All she knew was that she couldn't let another little girl die. Not after Leora.

"Don't do this Em, put the gun down." Lucky says cautiously.

They all watch as the psycho catches her bearings and flings Izzy toward the ground as she practically tackles Emily to the floor. After mere moments of struggling a shot is once again heard, deafening the ears of all.

Robert, Anna, Mac, Noah, and Luke rush in to help but like the rest they are much too late. The blood seeping through the floor was already evident. The damage had already been done. As the psycho runs off Emily is seen, the blood around her swollen stomach obvious. In all the chaos she had shot herself.

"No, this can't be happening again. I can't lose another child... I didn't mean to screw up." Lucky cradles her head in his hands as she begins to sob from the pain coursing through her veins and into her heart. "Did you know it was a little boy Lucky? My little boy. I loved him already. I just wish I could have gotten the chance to see him."

"But its so cold already, Lucky, everything feels like its falling farther and farther away and I don't know how to stop it."

Robert, Anna, and Luke rush after the psycho as Mac called 911. Noah and Robin kneeled around Emily to try and save her life but something was different in Patrick. Seeing the women he once loved lying there and the child that he thought was his was sending him beyond the dangerous point of grief and pain. Yet he steeled himself knowing he had to do something.

Emily looked up at him, "I know you tried to save Leora and you couldn't but promise me that it'll be different Patrick. Promise me."

"Don't think like that Emily. Just keep holding on," Robin said as she applied pressure to the wound and assessed her condition.

Yet Emily looked up to Patrick still waiting for an answer. He didn't know what to say but before he could utter a word, Emily closed her eyes and took a shuddering breath. Simultaneously they all thought, she couldn't be dead yet none of them knew the answer yet.

* * *

_Crypt_

"I think she just ran into the Cassadine crypt. Let's get our canes and go Scorpios."

Anna and Robert followed Luke into the crypt and found her a few feet away from the door. Sneaking up on her and slamming her into the floor, Anna grabbed her by the neck.

The relief that they had caught her was evident on their countenances, in their thoughts.

"Your times up Elizabeth. If only you could be lucky enough to get yourself landed into jail. After what you've done, I think we can do much, much worse than that. You deserve every bit of what's coming to you." Anna tells the body pinned to the floor.

Shedding the mask that the psycho had donned for so long they realize that everything they had thought and suspected had utterly and completely been wrong. The face behind the mask wasn't Elizabeth. It was someone else. The one person that couldn't possibly have done this had fooled them all.

"It's you," Luke alleged astonished, taking a sharp intake of breath as they all paused, completely shell shocked.

So as the night labored on and the darkness dawned upon them all in unimaginable ways they all realized one simple fact about the situation and about life. Though the end was indeed insight, there would be no end to the repercussions they would suffer from this night. No, it would never be over.

* * *

**A/N:** I forgot to tell you guys before that lucky, emily liz, nikolas, patrick and robin have known eachother all their lives. And one more question for all of you, do you want anyone in particular to die or would you rahter everyone make it out fine? Just wondering for the upcoming chapters. But yeah just had to add a big thank you to everyone who has stuck it out throught my first story. You guys really are awesome. 

**IloveToWriteSMP:** I hope the first part of the showdown didn't disapoint. As to what happens next, I'm pretty sure I know what'll happen next but I'm always one to change my mind so who knows anything can happen

**talk2much13**: thanks alot cc, glad you liked the chapter.


	23. The Night's Unkind

**Chapter Twenty-Three: The Night's Unkind**

Shedding the mask that the psycho had donned for so long they realize that everything they had thought and suspected for so long had been utterly and completely wrong. The face behind the mask wasn't that of Elizabeth. It was someone else. The one person that couldn't possibly have done this had fooled them all.

"It's you," Luke alleged astonished, taking a sharp intake of breath as they all paused, completely shell shocked.

Before them lay the face of Nikolas, the young Cassadine prince. Yet before they could even react he attempted to bolt through the door. That was one of his many mistakes that night. Despite their older age, Robert, Anna, and Luke had caught hold of him in a matter of seconds. Twisting his hands behind his back and slamming his face against the wall, Robert thought of all the ways he could wreak havoc on Nikolas for all that he had done, all the pain he had caused the people he loved. The one thing they could not fathom was why. It all made no sense.

"I've known you since you were a boy Nikolas, you're Laura's son. Why would you do this?" Luke asked, somewhat pained to realize how Laura would react to this turn of events if she could understand what occurred beyond the world of her own confused mind. He had never been that close to Nikolas yet he could sympathize with how drinking could bring you to such a low point in your life. If only he could have been there for him more. Maybe it would have made a difference.

They all waited for the answers that Nikolas never gave them.

"You still haven't answered us son. We just want to know why you did all of this. You've hurt so many people. Do you know what you've done?"

"I know exactly why the son of a bitch did it. You couldn't handle the fact that our Robin left you, so what, you decide to do this?" Robert grabbed Nikolas by his collar and began to beat him mercilessly, repeatedly, as Anna and Luke looked on, knowing the man deserved what was coming to him. They continue the scuffle until the PCPD finally busts into the crypt and pulled them apart.

As they hauled Nikolas into the police car with the glaring lights, one livid sentence releases from Robert's mouth that could be heard around Port Charles.

"You'll pay for this Cassadine, mark my words, you'll pay."

* * *

_Graveyard_

Emily looked up to Patrick still waiting for an answer. He didn't know what to say but before he could utter a word, Emily closed her eyes and took a shuddering breath. Simultaneously they all thought, she couldn't be dead yet none of them could know the answer until they checked her pulse.

Somewhat fearful of what she might find, Robin searched Emily's pulse. A pulse was felt from under her tiny fingers and though it was faint, it was there and that's all they could hope for.

"She's still breathing," Robin looked up to see Patrick holding Isabelle in his arms, hugging her tightly like a protective father that wanted to keep his little girl safe from the world and all the people that could try and hurt her in life. Tears welled in his eyes as he stroked her hair with repeated whispers of 'everything's okay'. The words spoken more for his benefit than for hers.

Robin wiped the tears that sprung from her eyes as she fought through another bout of dizziness to look down at Emily. The bullet had pierced, the upper quadrant of her chest. Barely missing her heart and the son inside her womb. Yet still she could see the prognosis wasn't good. Sirens were heard from the distance as the EMTs jumped out of the ambulance and began to put Emily into a stretcher. Looking down at the unconscious woman that she had hated for so long she gave her a soft kiss on the cheek knowing that things really were different now. With a whispered 'thank you' she realized that Emily had saved her daughter from what could have been a horrible fate. She could only hope that it wouldn't come at the expense of her own child.

* * *

_General Hospital_

Ten minutes later the family of three all stood in the hospital waiting room. Waiting on word of Emily and for another doctor to check Izzy out. Looking down at the little girl in her arms, Robin noticed she was asleep. Looking over to Patrick she saw him walk out of the room wordlessly. She decided to give him a few minutes of space. To her right sat the guilt ridden Lucky, his hands white from his tight grip on the hospital's wooden chair. He was beating himself up inside, Robin realized silently.

"It's not your fault, you know. I don't blame you." Robin says trying to offer some words of solace.

"It is Robin. If I would have just warned all of you, if I could have been honest, we wouldn't be here. I wouldn't be sitting here waiting to lose my nephew, my best friend, or worse, both of them at the hands of my wife."

"Don't think like that, they'll be okay." Robin said as hints of disbelief at her own words inadvertently show through.

"Don't patronize me Robin. I know what I've done, " Lucky speaks adamantly as the other inhabitants of the room silenced for a moment, "their bloods on my hands Robin, and I don't think I can ever wash it off."

She didn't know what to say to that so she just walked away. Leaving the waiting room before another Quartermaine fight broke out or more tension arose. Walking past the nurses' desk she realized that she hadn't heard from her parents, or Patrick for what seemed like forever.

She spotted Georgie and Maxie from across the room and tapped them one the shoulder on the shoulder.

"Georgie, Maxie. Can you take Izzy for a few minutes? I need to go talk to Patrick. I would ask you to take her home but I don't think it's safe for her to be far from us. I'm still not sure if my parents and Luke have caught Elizabeth yet. Her doctor should be here for her check anytime soon, okay."

"Sure Robin."

"We'll take Isabelle for as long as you want," Georgie finishes as Maxie takes the little girl from Robin's arms. Robin noticed that even though she was sleeping she still trembled and she mentally promised to not leave her for long.

"I'll see if I can put her somewhere to rest while we wait."

"Thank you."

Robin begins to walk away from her cousins yet soon turns back to face them, wrapping them both in a tight embrace. The women were cousins but had grown up together and considered themselves as sisters in every sense of the word. They trusted and understood each other, something that could be hard to find in their dysfunctional family. Through everything that happened in their lives, they had each other.

"I'm so glad you're not hurt," Georgie whispered.

"No more getting shot at, okay, sis." Maxie said as they laughed lightly, somewhat emotional.

"I'll try. I'm just so glad we're all safe. I love you both of you so much." She admits before she finally walks away.

For a few moments Robin walks around the hospital, not sure where she could possibly find Patrick. Yet as she passes by the supply closet and think she hears something. Opening the door, she finds a distraught Patrick on the floor with his head in his hands. Gently lifting up his face to look into his red eyes, she realized he'd been crying all along.

She takes him into her arms, something he had done for her so many times in the past months, and simply lets him lean against her and cry. When it finally subdues to a silence minutes later, she begins her attempt at seeing if he could talk to her without the barriers that he sometimes struggled to put up when he was vulnerable. But they had come so far that the words flowed easily between the two, the trust between them completely evident.

"You know you can talk to me about anything?" Robin asks softly as she leans against him.

"I've known that for a long time Robin."

"Is this about Emily, because if it is I'm sure she'll be fine Patrick."

"Yes...and no. It's about that and so much more. Seeing Isabelle, with a gun to her head and Emily on the floor bleeding to death was just too much to handle. It made it that much worse to remember how I had lost my little girl, Leora, and all the times I could have lost you... I can't lose you Robin!"

"You won't. I'm right here," she whispers as she places her hands on Patrick's face, gently forcing him to look her in the eyes.

"Maybe I can't promise you forever but I just know that we'll be happy. Whether it's 5 more weeks or 50 years I will cherish every moment we have together. And if we're lucky enough, we'll be together when we're old and gray, racing wheelchairs in the nursing home, still wreaking havoc on Port Charles. We'll have our good times and the bad but even when it gets hard and we don't think we can make it, we'll still have each other Patrick. That's something that no one can take away from us."

"Thank you," Patrick says quietly as he stares at the women, he loved, in awe. Her hair was in disarray and the cemeteries dirt streaked across her face but to him, she might as well have been perfect. He loved everything about her, from her minor flaws and bouts of stubbornness; to the way she could be when she was with him.

"For what?" Robin asks, somewhat perplexed.

"For being Robin. For being my everything."

They kiss lightly for a few seconds until they hear his hospital pager go off in his pocket. He checks it and pulls away, even though he didn't want to.

"I have to go Robin,"

"I know. Remember what I said okay,"

"I will," and with that Patrick leaves the room, Robin following not long after.

Lucky paused in his seemingly perpetual pacing to look at Emily, hoping to see some sign that she was okay. Minutes passed...nothing.

"I did this to you Emily. I may not have pulled the trigger but I can't help but feel like it's my fault. Don't worry, I'll make sure that I get what I deserve, somehow. If only I would have warned you away. If only I could have stopped Elizabeth. So many ifs, so many buts, and yet it's too late to turn back the clock and fix this. I screwed up Em, and I don't know if you can ever forgive me. But you have to tell me one thing.

"Tell me you'll make it through and you'll raise a little boy with your same light, your spirtit... Just tell me you'll be okay," Silence. "Answer me Em," he yelled as if his heightened tone could reach her somehow. But it couldn't because the pale woman that lay in the bed, IVs stringing through her, made no effort to move or speak. He just couldn't reach her.

A quick knock sounds at the door and Patrick walks. He checks Emily's chart and vitals, as he scribbles things on her chart his countenance sinks into a grimmer mode.

"Are you just going to sit there and not say anything?"

Patrick looks up from the chart somewhat annoyed. "If you really want to hear what going on, walk into the waiting room. I'm going to tell her family about her condition now."

Patrick walks out and Lucky follows. The waiting room was filled with people. The Quartermaines along with other friends were all waiting to see what would happen. All of them were sick of being in this hospital waiting room, for more times than they could count. They didn't want the people they cared about to hurt anymore but for some reason it always seemed out of their hands.

At sight of the tall doctor they begin to argue and shout questions, at least ten voices sounding at once. He could hardly get a word in edge wise.

"QUIET!" Alan yelled as the once chaotic room went silent at sound of the patriarch's voice. "You can continue Patrick."

"Well, the bullet pierced her body in a relatively close spot from her heart and especially her abdomen. The baby is alive but it's in distress and is fairing almost as badly as his mother. She's lost a lot of blood and as some of you may know she has a blood type of O, Rh- We need somebody to donate blood for her, so if any of you have her blood type and are willing to donate come with me."

No one in the room moved, "Nobody?"

"We had this same problem before when Carly stabbed Emily with garden shears about five years ago. It's not that we wouldn't help her however we can, it's just none of us were her blood type. None of us except," Monica discontinued as Jason picked it up again "Nikolas."

"I think he's still in a coma, but it's worth a try." Patrick walks down the hall into Nikolas' room to find it empty. Bewildered, he sees Robin pass by, calling out her name he asks her about Nikolas' whereabouts. It's evident that she knows as much as him if not less. They see Epiphany walking by and they call her over.

"Epiphany, do you know where Nikolas is? One minute he's in a coma and the next he's gone. Robin and I haven't heard of him dying so what's going on Piph?"

"You two really don't know? Right before whatever went down at the graveyard with the rest of you he disappeared. His guards were knocked unconscious and he was gone."

Robin and Patrick give each other one knowing glance as they quickly thank Pip and run to the front of the hospital, hoping to see some sign of their parents. Maybe they knew more than Patrick and Robin did and if not they'd have to take it upon themselves to find out.

After Robert and Anna give Robin a quick hug showing their happiness at her being unscathed.

"Patrick and I have to tell you that-"

"We know gumdrop, Nikolas isn't in his hospital room, and he's in jail."

"Jail? Not to say he didn't deserve it but last I heard he was in a coma. I don't understand Robert, why is he locked up?"

Luke answers the question, "Because he was behind all of it. He was the psycho behind the mask that tried to kill the lot of you. He was never in a coma in the first place."

Robin and Patrick are shocked and it seems to hit Robin a lot harder than Patrick. After what he had done, she had hated Nikolas for months but somewhere deep inside of herself she still cared. Obviously he didn't feel the same if he could have done this to all of them. It just hurt to know that someone you once trusted could betray you in such a way. Above all she couldn't understand his motives.

Patrick looks down at Robin, knowing what she's thinking. "Nikolas was a sick man, the drinking changed him and that's something that none of us can blame ourselves for." Mentally as he says this Robin wonders what she did wrong. Maybe if she would have tried harder or had been there for him it wouldn't have happened. She would never know.

"At least we've found the answers that we've been searching for and we can move on. It's over, luv," Anna says directing her last sentence to Robin.

"Whatever you say mom."

Eventually they all part as Patrick gets called in to help in Emily's upcoming surgery. Robin is forced to wait. She sees her friend Lainey working the nightshift and she figures why not try and talk to her, to get her mind of everything.

"Hi Lainey,"

"Hey Robin. I heard about what happened in the cemetery. Long night?"

"You mean long life. It has to get easier after this right?"

"Right,"

"Wrong," Kelly pitches in as she walks up to the two. "It's not going to get any easier but it'll sure get interesting."

"What do you mean," Robin asks, Lainey just as curious.

"You know what I'm talking about Robin, no need to pretend."

"I really don't know Kelly,"

"Just tell us,"

"Well it's not like it's a huge secret or anything. You know the hospital ran some tests after the whole Nikolas thing and we found out you were pregnant Dr Hottie's baby."

At the look of Robin's face, her jaw hanging, Kelly could tell that she was mistaken.

"So I'm guessing that means you didn't know. I'm sorry I didn't-"

But before she could finish the sentence Robin leaves. After hearing the life changing news that she did, never was a time for her to clear her head more needed. She leaves the hospital alone and goes out for a walk.

* * *

She grabs her coat and walks outside, venturing through Port Charles as she gives her best attempt to silence the voices in her head. The nagging doubts that maybe she wouldn't be able to do this, or the fearful possibility that she might pass on HIV to her baby. She couldn't imagine an innocent child having to go through what her and Stone did. She didn't know how she would feel or what she would do if that happened. 

She remembers the time, years ago when she was diagnosed with HIV, especially after Stone's death. She didn't think that she would ever have the opportunity to find love again, have a family. Yet here she was.

Here she was... How am I going to tell Patrick? Will he be happy she thinks for a second though she realizes the answer without thinking? He would love their baby, just as much as he did Isabelle and their family, she knew, they would be just fine.

She could finally stop waiting for the other shoe to drop. She finally believed in her happy ending.

It was then when she looked around herself and realized she had walked right into the cemetery in front of the Cassadine crypt. Fearful for a moment, she realizes that Nikolas was behind bars and couldn't hurt her. It's only then when she realizes she's not alone.

* * *

Lucky walks into the PCPD, determined to turn in his license as a cop. His crime wasn't something that could be found in the judicial system's books but nevertheless it was there, haunting him. He deserved what he had coming to him. 

He walks up to Mac who looks unbelievably stressed and he wonders what turn of events may have caused it. Did they find Elizabeth, he thinks and his heart rate steadily increases as he realizes the possibility of coming face to face with her, masks off. He couldn't help but wonder.

"What's going on Mac, did you catch Elizabeth?"

"Elizabeth? You really don't know what's happened? Elizabeth had nothing to do with this; she really did die in December. We caught the man behind the mask tonight. It was Nikolas."

"Nikolas," his brother, behind all of this. It didn't make any sense.

"I know what your thinking but it's true, I saw his face myself. But in all the chaos he escaped the holding room and though we have most of our men out there searching we don't know where he is. But rest assured he's armed and dangerous. Thankfully he allowed himself to donate blood to Emily Quartermaine, albeit it was all to cop a better plea deal."

"But how-"

"Hold on, I have a call." Mac picks up the phone, "Scorpio...Slow down Patrick, what are you trying to say...but he has to be, maybe the blood type on record is wrong...okay, okay I believe you, but you know what this means...I'll put out an APB right know and give orders to alert everyone he might try and come after"

"What's going on Mac?"

"The psycho, it's not Nikolas Cassadine after all. It's Conner Bishop."

* * *

Robin turns around in the cemetery, her heart beating slightly faster, only to find Nikolas' face staring back at her. At least she thinks it's Nikolas. She slowly tries to back away. 

"Nikolas, lets not do anything we'll regret okay? Just let me leave and I'll pretend I never saw you."

"I can't take that risk." He grabs her covering her mouth, and picks her up, carrying her away.

As the painfully unkind night began to dwindle into dawn, the lives of those remaining were at a turning point. The answers discovered tonight would affect them, possibly, changing their lives forever. Yet the daunting uncertainty of it all could not hinder them completely. To know that they had one person out there, or at the very least each other, to keep balance in their lives made them realize that everything they went through was worth it in the end.

* * *

A/N: I hope you guys are still interested in this story and as always thanks for the feedback. My computers getting fixed now so hopefully i'll get it back soon to write another chapter 

IlovetowriteSMP: I like some of the older Gh characters like Anna and Robert so its fun to write for them. And a happy ending always sounds good.


	24. Tell Me No Lies

**Chapter Twenty-Four: Tell Me No Lies**

_Part 1_

It's so easy to think you have it all figured out in life. That finally you've attained the answers that you've searched for all along, even if you can't possibly understand them. But when you find out that what you believed in was an intricate lie, how you will react? Will you fight for the truth, or will you be too shaken to do anything but give in?

"I can't take that risk," Nikolas mutters as he grabs Robin, carrying her away. In a split second, Robin realizes the gravity of the situation, and tries to think rationally, realizing how much easier it is to do anything but that. Yet still she runs through years worth of words from her parents and one line sticks out to her in memory.

'Never show fear to your opponent.' It'd be so easy to break down as she's done so many times before but for once she knows that now more than ever she needs to stay strong. So she sets her jaw defiantly and faces Nikolas, even as the whispers in her head begin to sound.

Just don't think about it Robin. Don't focus on the fact that you may never see the color of your baby's eyes and you might never hear Patrick tell him he loves you. It's okay if you'll never laugh at your parent's banter or read Izzy one last bedtime story. As the painful thoughts rush through her head at an alarming speed she realized how much she could lose in a split second at the hands of someone who thought he once loved her.

Nikolas is a murderer. She knows the painful truth but it's still hard to believe he would even think of hurting her. Maybe she's rushing into an uncertain reality for no reason, maybe he has another agenda.

"I want to make you feel the pain I felt..." she remembers as Nikolas' cold voice weaves in and out of her mind. Hearing those words and reliving that night, the vivid memories plaguing her thoughts to the point of unbelievably, she studies Nikolas for one last moment. In doing so she realizes one last thing. He's armed. And at the moment, something inside her cracks as she makes on fatal mistake. She panics.

"HELP!" she yells foolishly to anyone who may hear her. As she does so something in Nikolas' demeanor changes as he rushes her into a nearby crypt, practically pushing her in and scrambling to close the door. She wasn't going to let him hurt her again.

So as his back is turned she comes up behind, somehow slamming him into the cold, hard ground, without even realizing her actions. Pinning him to the ground with her shoe, she looks down at him and wonders why she never realized that something was different in him than the despicable man she had seen for the past few weeks. She quickly shakes the thought off.

"Robin, no, you have to listen me," he pleads as Robin wonders about his haggard look and listens, unbelieving.

"Why should I listen to you Nikolas? What in the world could you ever have to say to me that can change you've done?"

"It wasn't me," he loudly whispers, "you have to understand."

"It wasn't you," Robin says, incredulous, "so you're telling me that I imagined you killing Elizabeth, or burning the cabin down with us still in it...or trying to rape me."

"I'm trying to say that it was Conner. He locked me up and pretended to me. He was behind it the whole time and he's probably looking for us now. I'm trying to protect you." He stands up.

"You twisted bastard. Conner's dead and I'm not going to believe your story of pinning this all on him, just to get off scotch-free. I know the truth," she says even as the seeds of doubt begin to spread and she runs through the past that they all had with Conner. Something in Nikolas' eyes just told him that he was being honest, even though she knew that she had no reason to trust him again. She can't help but explore the possibility.

"So you're saying that Conner was behind this," she says slowly, the wheels turning in her head, as she realizes how they couldn't have realized it. "But Liz and Lucky buried him, he has to be -"

"Dead? Are you sure about that Robin?" she hears from inches behind her, his breath on her neck, as she wonders, how the hell were they were going to get through this.

General Hospital

Patrick walks out of Emily's room, not knowing what to think. He tried his best in the surgery and on one hand, he wanted to have hope, he needed to believe they would make it. But he was a doctor and he knew how much blood she lost during the surgery. With such a low amount of her blood type in supply, if she went into shock or had a hemorrhage, their lives would be out of his hands. Chances were, Emily and her child, the son or daughter that once could have been his wouldn't make it through the night.

"How could you let our daughter die?" is what she said to him once after Leora's death. The disgust, pain, and anger inside them, rolled up into an uncontrollable swell of emotions, overwhelming them both. He could never answer that question, not really anyway. He'd relive it sometimes on days like these and would think, what if I would have paid more attention, what if I had been more careful. All the what ifs amounting to a mountain of mistakes and regrets that he couldn't change, no matter how hard he wished he could. Leaving him with the memory that he somehow let their child slip away.

In the cemetery she asked me to promise her that I would save her baby, that it would be different this time around. And all I could do was stare at her, like a fool, knowing that if I promised her, I'd probably be lying. I just didn't want to betray the honesty that I once had with her.

I need Robin, he realized effortlessly as he leaned against the wall, and immediately stood straight, as he began to look for her. He knew that if anyone could make him feel better at a time like this, it would be her. It would always be her.

He walked around the hospital, searching in waiting rooms, cafeterias, and the doctor's lounge and anywhere the woman with those beautiful brown eyes might be. Yet after ten minutes of looking for his search was fruitless.

She's probably exhausted, he thought, as he realized that she might have went home to rest. He pulls out his cell phone and calls her, the endless rings finally cultivating in her voice. "Hi, this is Robin Scorpio, please leave a message after the beep."

God he loved her voice. "Robin it's Patrick, I was just wondering where you were. Call me as soon as you can babe...I love you." He hangs up the phone and thinks nothing of it, not knowing that her phone was lying on the cemetery's floor, somewhat submerged in dirt. Sitting down and taking a break Patrick's heavy lids began to droop and he knew he was falling asleep.

"Patrick. Patrick, get up, it's Lucky." Minutes later Patrick opens his tired eyes as Lucky comes into focus.

"Yeah, I'm up Lucky. What's going on?" He asks after sensing Lucy's apprehension.

"It's Conner. He's gone."

"Gone. What do you mean," Patrick says rapidly as he stands up, now completely awake after hearing the news.

"I'm trying to say that Conner escaped from lock up and is probably out for blood right now. Our blood. Mac told me to place guards on you, Robin, Emily, and."

"You were thinking of Elizabeth and Nikolas weren't you?" Patrick can't help but sympathize for his old friend.

"Yeah, they were my family and most importantly my best friends along with Emily. We've been the four musketeers for so long but it just seems like I'm losing them all."

"But maybe Nikolas is alright Lucky," Patrick says encouragingly.

"Maybe. But I've been a cop for years and I know how people like Conner work. If he had a chance to kill Nikolas, he'd take it."

They sit in silence for a while and Patrick's mind drifts to Robin. He suppresses a dark and fleeting thought for a moment yet after a while brings it up to Lucky.

"Have you seen Robin?" Patrick asks as his dread begins to set in.

"No? I stopped by the penthouse because I figured she was home, but she wasn't there. I even went to her Uncle Mac's house and Georgie and Maxie's apartment. I saw Izzy but since I didn't see Robin I just figured she was here."

"Well I haven't seen Robin, since before Emily's surgery. You don't think..."

"I know where your headed with this but don't panic. Let's just ask around for her first." Patrick scans the room around the tenth floor nurses desk and spots Kelly and Lainey, figuring if anything they would know where she was.

"Kelly, Lainey, have you seen Robin?" Patrick said urgently.

"Robin, we saw her maybe half an hour ago. Is everything okay, Patrick?" Lainey replied.

"No," he confessed, "We think she could be with Conner, the man behind all of this." At the quizzical look on her face he replied, "long story."

"Oh my god," Kelley stammered, shocked and began to jump into possibilities. "Who knows what the freak is doing to her. He could be murdering her right know. We could all lose her after she just found out that-"

"Found out what?"

Lainey clamped her head over Kelly's mouth. She knew where she was headed, telling Patrick about the baby. "Oh nothing Patrick." she said than whispered "Kelly, you're not helping," as she stepped on her toe.

They both look over at Patrick, now struck with worry, and Kelly places a comforting hand on his shoulder. "She's a strong woman Patrick. She'll be fine. You just focus on finding her."

"And Pat, you know how Robin loves to take walks to clear out her head. Just try and think of wherever she might have gone and find her. You of all people would know. Just trust yourself."

"Thanks," Patrick says as he walks to Lucky, relaying Kelly and Lainey's ideas. Stepping out of the hospital doors, they set out on a mission to find Robin.

* * *

**A/N:** It's been a while hasn't it? It took so long for my computer to get fixed and when it finally did and I wrote a chapter I erased it by mistake. But about the story, part 2 of this chapter will focus mainly on what happens when Robin and Nikolas come face to face with Conner. Thanks for the reviews and I hope you guys still keep reading. 

**Farrah Grahm: **This is written by me and I doubt it would happen in GH. But I still use Gh's character's and there former plots in this story.

**callielee**: Nikolas had mostly been himself in this story. It wasn't until around chapter 20 that him and conner switched. Around the same time when Nikolas began to act differently.

**ILovetowriteSMP**: You're good. You had guessed what had happened with Nik and Connor before I was even sure of it. ANd if you're still writing fanfic I definitely need to check them out today.

**talk2much13**: I hope you liked this chapter :).


	25. Twisted

**Chapter Twenty-Five: Twisted**

_Crypt_

Conner slides into the crypt, unbenowedstly and creeps behind Robin, his breath on her neck. To finally have her so close to him after all these years, the angry memories came flooding back.

Years worth of hate and memories came so vivid to him. Every slap in the face and twist of the heart. To think he cared about her and all of them once. In the end they all betrayed him.

He remembered waking up in a hospital after a months long coma, his memory failing him. Everything but one name, one memory, all but fled from his mind. He woke up in an army hospital calling her name, Mary, somehow picturing her face in his mind already, though he could remember nothing about her. Yet instead he saw something different than what he expected. Robin, she said her name was. The brunette beauty staring back at him, telling him that he would recover in no time at all. It was that time that he fell in love...or became intensely obsessed.

He thought about her every moment of everyday for a reason beyond him. All until one day it finally struck him, she only cared for someone else. Patrick Drake. He saw the way he looked at her and he hated it. Not long after Robin left for Paris and Patrick for a job opportunity, but not before making one big mistake.

After a harsh fight about how close they were becoming Robin and Patrick were called in to perform surgery on Conner. So wrapped up in there own damn emotions they screwed up and ruined his life. One mistake and the brain damage that Conner had was permanent and would only get worse with time. As Robin told him all this he could barely hear what he was saying or see past his blood red eyes. All he could think was revenge.

Months later he opened The Port Charles Inquirer to see a picture of the girl that had haunted him once and found out that Mary hadn't always been dead as he thought. Yet before he could even realize it Nikolas Cassadines had murdered her. He had killed the woman in his dreams before he had ever gotten to see her one last time.

With a plan for revenge he hired a plastic surgeon to make him look just like Nikolas and before he knew it, he had entangled himself in their lives on the night that he witnessed the Prince kill his grandmother; it wasn't long before he was sent to jail. Nikolas, Emily, Elizabeth and Lucky. He had hated Nikolas for so long and he could never understand why the others would go to such lengths to protect him. Especially Emily.

He loved Emily, and was in someway even more infatuated with her than he ever was Mary and Robin. He couldn't help but become emotionally invested in the fact that she would be his; after all she owed him. But she could never get her mind off of Nikolas. What happened that night wasn't wrong in his mind? Nikolas had his way with his wife and he did with his. And the fact that he knew she loved him made it all the more right.

But then she tried to kill me. It was what brought him to this point; it was what made it that much worth it.

This was the way is distorted mind saw it.

Conner snapped back to reality, shaking his head as a twisted smile appeared on his face. Robin couldn't help but feel sick at the thought of him. He tilted his head to the side and looked between Nikolas and Robin.

"Missed me?"

"This isn't supposed to be happening, you should be dead," Robin says in slight denial, "You weren't supposed to hurt us anymore."

"Did you really think it'd be that easy? Did you think that bitch Emily would shoot me and I'd just be gone? I'll never be out of your lives for long Robin. Never."

Robin paused for a moment looking off into space as she realized the horrible entirety of what Conner had done to them. She wasn't going to sit here and let him get away with it. She lunged into him, as if she would tackle him to the floor but was abruptly stopped as he grabbed her arms, twisting them painfully behind her back.

"Something tells me, this isn't going to work. I think we need a change in arrangements."

Conner grabbed rope out his bag and began to try and tie her up. Only to have Nikolas step in front of her protectively.

"I've been helpless in this hell hole for longer than I can remember, Conner. I'm not going to let you get away with this," Nikolas took the knife out of his pocket that he had found as he escaped from the mausoleum.

"Run, Robin," he whispered and was surprised to see her step right beside him.

"I'm not going anywhere, not until you're out of here too."

Robin had hated Nikolas even more lately, thinking that he had been behind the horror of the past month. And even in light of the fact that he hadn't, there still lay all the problems that had finally ended their relationship, as husband and friends. Still she couldn't leave him here. He was weak, haggard, and wouldn't win in a fight with Conner. So she stepped up, deciding that not only would she refuse to leave it up to him or anyone else to rescue her, she would be right there as they ended this mess that had invaded into their lives.

Conner looked between the defiant two and was soon overcome with laughter, "You two really think you can stop me? You think your brave or something? Huh?" He said, as his voice got louder. "This little stunt is going to cost you." He pulled out a gun and pointed it between the two. Within seconds the knife slipped from Nik's hand. Gun in hand; it wasn't hard for Conner to tie them side-by-side.

Minutes later Conner stood in front of them, waving the gun along the with knife in his hands.

"I bet your wondering why I did this?"

"Because you're a disgusting freak?" Nikolas yelled as he practically spat in Conner's face, making him angry. Conner slapped him in the face with the gun, harshly as Robin was forced to look at his wound and do nothing.

"You really think you're going to win, don't you? You really think you can protect her Nicky boy? You've been in that hole of a cell the whole time. Where were you when I beat up your pregnant girl friend? Weren't you helpless when I almost raped Robin? What makes you think you can help her now?"

Nikolas glanced at Robin thoughtfully and could see her avoidance of what Conner was saying; it must be true.

"It's true isn't it. He did that to all of you?"

"Yes..." She said as she glanced away unavoidably ashamed that she let him hurt her that much.

"That son of a batch's swear to God I'm going to kill you when I get out of here. And I'll enjoy it too." Nikolas continued, beyond anger.

"That's funny, because I could have sworn I still had the gun." He looked over to Robin, "You're quiet for once. Have you finally realized that you deserved all of this?"

"What I've realized is that you're sick, and I still can't understand why you would do all of this. None of us deserved this." Robin said in quiet loathing of the man, if you could really call him that, before her.

"You asked why I've done this. But I ask why the hell can't you understand. All my life I've tried to be loved, I've tried so hard for everything. But it never worked because of people like you. When I woke up in that hospital and I couldn't find Mary I saw your face first. I cared about you, but in your eyes I didn't exist. It wasn't long before you broke my heart, and my brain." He continued.

"Your mistake is the reason that I wake up every morning, the pain in my mind is excruciating. It never stops Robin. It never stops! And the voices just keep getting worse, louder, reminding me everyday of why I had to do this."

"Why is that?"

"Because you all deserved it," He screams punching a wall. "Even Lucky and Liz buried me, throwing me in the dirt without even making sure that I was dead. Like I was some sort of monster.

"Maybe I am. Maybe I'm exactly what you all wanted me to be. But in the end I win. I win!" He begins to laugh bitterly. "You've all suffered because of me and that's not going to end today. Not until I'm digging all your graves."

"You're deluded." She yelled.

"And why the hell do you think that is! I'm not the same man since before you're knife slipped and made me the man I am today." She paused for a moment wondering how wise it would be to get him angry, remembering the last time she was tied up in a room with Emily and Conner. It wasn't hard to recall what had happened then and she was determined to make sure that it wouldn't happen again. But as the ropes began to dig into her tiny wrists, she couldn't help but feel a sick sense from the pit of her stomach of deja vu. Time was running out. She needed to figure out how to get them out of this. She decided to try out a strategy.

"Why'd you do this? What made you hate us enough to try and ruin our lives? Don't lie to me Conner, you've done that long enough. I just really want to know."

He spat at the memories as he began his own twisted version of what brought him to this point. "I have loved three woman in my whole life and you were one of them Robin. But you were all stolen from me one by one by those bastards you called soul mates. Nikolas killed my wife and then from inside a jail cell he still reeled Emily in." His voice began to rise as his pace around the room quickened. "What the hell did he have that I don't Robin? What's so good about him? Even Patrick took you away from me then and now. You were too worried to see anywhere but past me. How could you not expect me to get angry, to get revenge when you all practically begged for it."

"That's not what happened and you know it," Robin said accusingly, "you were obsessed with me and I stayed away, not only because I started to have feelings for Patrick but because I wouldn't be with you if you were the last man on Earth. We couldn't help what happened to your health after the war and I'll admit that we were young then, and we messed up. But it wasn't some big conspiracy, and it sure as hell didn't give you the right to do what you did. You raped Emily years ago and you've been terrorizing us all for the past few months."

"You know-"

"Let me finish," she yelled to the man she harbored more hatred for than she thought was possible, "You left Elizabeth's kids, motherless, Lucky partially disabled. You tried to burn us down in that cabin, kidnap our daughter, and now Emily's son could die because of you. You deserve everything you get Conner, and that means you should be dead right now."

Nikolas saw her anger beginning to rise and whispered in her ear, "I know you hate him but we can't afford to get him mad at this point." He hated Conner more than Robin could even imagine. But he wasn't about to get them both killed because of his anger. It was too big of a risk and he needed Robin to understand that.

That made Robin think of something, and she quickly formulated a plan.

"What are you two whispering about." Silence. "About how much of a psycho, sick freak I am? Don't you think I've heard it all before? And I thought you might understand Robin, that you cared."

Robin swallowed her pride and paused for a long moment, contemplative, before she went on, "Maybe I still do,"

"Don't lie to me? I'm not stupid. I know what you're trying to do." Conner said, frustrated and confused.

"I'm not lying, I'm just saying that maybe you're a different person than I thought."

"What are you saying Robin?" Nikolas couldn't understand this 360 that Robin had done. Yet as she stared at him, he saw something that silenced him

"Shut up Nikolas! I am so sick of you always being here reminding me of how much you hurt me. I know Conner's done a lot of things but he never broke my heart. He actually cared for me, before I screwed everything up. Conner's making me realize that." Robin inwardly prayed for the strength to do this. "I hate you so much, and I can't understand what I saw in you and the rest of our so called friends for that matter. Your all back-stabbers and I'm realizing how wrong I was to ever think that I loved Patrick. How could I be so naive," she ranted, and hoped he wouldn't realize how hard it was for her to say she didn't love Patrick.

"Maybe you're not the person I thought. If you only knew how perfect we'd be together." Conner thought audibly, almost to himself.

Robin stared him in the eye, a seemingly new person.

"What if the cops realize I'm gone. We're not far from the hospital, they'd look around here first. And knowing my uncle he won't stop until he finds me. I wish he'd just leave me alone." Tears sprung from her eyes as her voice faltered, "You know, I never told anyone what my uncle did to me."

"What do you mean?" He asked as he inched closer, almost worried.

"You'd never understand what he put me through for so many years. I'm sure your family loved you a lot more."

Conner laughed bitterly, "My old man, was never even a father to me. My first memory was him telling me I was worthless, pitiful. Hearing that for so many years, you start to believe it. And once I got older he'd just get so mad. I'd try so hard to be good enough but it only got him angrier. He'd hit me more and more with each passing day until one day I couldn't take it. I stole his gun and killed him, leaving town without looking back." He looked at Robin, who seemed like she understood. Nobody had ever understood. "What did your uncle do?"

She wondered if she could really lie about one of the people she cared most about in life but she had to, she knew that. "My father wasn't even a part of the picture. He said he had no choice but I know the truth. He chose to stay away on purpose. My uncle raised me and I grew up thinking he was like a father to me, but dad's don't do that to their little girls. When I was a teenager he raped me," her eyes sprung fake tears as she tried to wipe them on her shoulders unsuccessfully. Conner, wiped her tear. "It was all my fault."

"It wasn't Robin, it was his. I should know because I was the monster that did the same. Hurt others to lessen the pain that I felt. Maybe I was wrong, maybe..." He paused for a long moment and stared at her wondering if she was really being honest. If he was bearing her soul to him he way he always wanted. All the while as she looked back at him, she couldn't help but feel sick.

"...Robin do you forgive me?"

"Yes, you've had a hard life, and we've gone through some of the same things. How could I expect you to not be angry after what people have done to you? I'm starting to understand."

"You really do care about me, even if it's just a little?" Something about her just made her realize this.

"Yes," She should get a Oscar for the lies she was spewing. "Ow," she said randomly as she wriggled a little to try and loosen the ropes.

"It's just my wrist hurt so much from the ropes. Do you think you could loosen them, or even better take them off."

He studies her, looking for the truth, "Why should I believe you?"

"Because I won't leave you like everyone did before. And I don't think you deserve the death sentence that you'll probably get because of this. I promise that I'll help you escape."

"Why should I trust you?"

"Because I'm willing to do whatever it takes. Even if it means getting rid of the problem. I'll kill Nikolas and we'll go."

He pauses for a long moment to think until he finally passes her the gun. "You weren't the girl I thought."

"Robin what are you doing? You can't take his side and kill me. Just put down the gun Robin, we can get through this if you just-"

His ears are blown from a deafening shot and she looks down, expecting to see blood. Expecting to die in this place. He waits for the pain to invade his body and the hurt to coarse through him. Yet there is nothing, and he realizes Robin has shot Conner in the shoulder not him. No, she stood behind him working feverishly at the rope tying him down.

Robin couldn't believe what she had done. She had probably killed a man, someone who deserved it completely yet still, it didn't feel right. To have the blood on her hands... She just had to get them out of here. She was almost done with the ropes when she heard Conner groan from his spot on the floor.

"We need to get out of here," Nikolas said and they rushed through the doors and tore through the woods hoping to get as far as possible from him. They felt him following the whole time but they remained a step ahead. All until Robin stumbled on something, her cellphone. She continues to run alongside Nik as she instinctively calls Patrick the phone barely rings twice before his worried voice sounds through the line.

"Robin?"

"Yeah it's, me Patrick. Listen you have to get Mac. I'm at the cemetery now and Conner's here. I don't now what he might-" The line went dead

"...do next," she silently finished.

"Run!" Nikolas yelled to her seeing Conner right behind them. They tried to get but in seconds he already had the knife to her throat, soon forcing her to give up the gun in her hands

"Not so fast," Conner whispered. "You thought you would kill me get away with this didn't you? Even after all you said." He pauses and realizes something. "The cliff isn't too far from here. It'd be so easy for you to fall down. Wouldn't it? A bullet to the head, or a slice of the throat would be too quick. I want you to feel some pain " He dragged her the few feet to cliff as Nikolas tried to pull him off. But after so long of being stuck in that room, he couldn't do much in his weakened state.

Robin stood at the edge of the cliff as the cold edge of the knife to her throat. If he didn't throw her off, he just might stab her. It wasn't supposed to end like this. She had fought so hard for so long to be happy. And know that he finally reached that point, it could all be over in seconds. Didn't she deserve more time?

It was then when he pushed her and she narrowly missed the edge of the cliff.

She knew that he realized that they would closer in on him soon, and he would try to escape, but not if she let him. With all her might she kicked him behind the knee, sending him tripping in front of her, closer to the edge of the cliff. It didn't take long for him to fall over, something she hadn't fully expected.

She peered over at him to see him slipping, his hands struggling to grasp the damp rock, as his breath labored on. All she could wonder was whether or not she could really let him die. She had taken an oath to protect people, could she really break it know, even with her hate for Conner?

For some reason, that she could scarcely understand, she grabbed his hand, and held on.

"Let him go, Robin. He deserves to die." Nikolas called out.

"Don't you think I know that? He deserves to rot in a jail cell or better yet hell. But I can't become a murderer Nikolas. He can't die because of me."

Conner listened to what she said as he fought for his life. A part of him realizing what he had done and how much he had hurt them. And for what? So he could feel better?. In the end he probably hated himself more than they did. He had made so many mistakes in his life and though he didn't regret most of them, the gratification that he was supposed to feel wasn't there. He was supposed to revel in the revenge but all could he think was one thing. What have I done?

And in that moment, he consciously let go.

Nikolas grabbed Robin, making sure she didn't fall in as they watched Conner sink into the dark abyss that was beyond the edge of the cliff. There was no way he could have survived.

They sat there shocked by everything that happened and in what seemed like hours, yet was probably a matter of minutes they heard the sounds of salvation. Suddenly sirens around them began to blare, a helicopter in the distance

They both turned to see the fury of lights that were the police, media, and an ambulance. As the cops swarmed the scene, the EMT's went to Robin and Nikolas. Placing a blanket over her shoulders and transporting Nikolas to the hospital for dehydration and multiple wound.

As she looked out into the crowd, she looked for one person and when she finally found him, everything else seemed to fall away. Running to each other she jumped into his arms, holding tight as she thanked God that she didn't have to let go today. Patrick cold help but kiss her repeatedly. They sat down for a moment.

"I was so scared Robin. What happened?"

"I went for a walk by myself and ran into Nikolas. I still thought that he was the one behind this and I didn't give him a chance to explain until Conner had finally found us. He tied us up and told us his twisted motive for what he did. I was angry but I played along until he trusted me enough to shoot him. We ran out, but he wasn't dead and he tried to push me of the cliff only to fall because of me. I tried to help him, even though I didn't want to. But it was weird, he just let go."

"How are you holding up now?"

"I'm still here Patrick, we're still okay," she said happy but still shocked as he fervently "But I really didn't know if I would make it."

"You didn't think you would make it?" He tilts her face up to him, "When I told you we had forever, I didn't mean a few months Robin I meant years and years to come of me loving you and being happy together. I'm in it for the long haul Robin, if you are."

"You know I am Patrick and something tells me that life is only going to get better from now on. We can finally be happy without worrying when it's all going to end because it's not. Not for a long time anyway." She couldn't hide her slight smile as she thought of the baby.

"Is there something you're not telling me Robin?" Patrick asked seeing something different in her.

"Maybe," she said with out alluding to the truth.

"And that is...?"

"You'll have to wait and see but trust me, it can't get better than what I have to say."

After all the struggles they had encountered they could finally be happy without waiting for their world to come crumbling down. Though nothing in life was a guarantee, the simple fact of knowing that they could all have their new beginnings been breathtaking and in some ways unexpected. That simple gift meant so much to them, more than they could ever know.

* * *

**A/N: **I really like being back with this story, but I'm guessing it'll end pretty soon. How soon I have no idea, but maybe I'll end with thirty. As always thank you all so much for still reading this story. It means alot. **Preview:** Patrick finds out about the baby. Nikolas attempts to reunite with Emily but will it be to late? 

**lorilou783: **I dpn't think it'll be much of a problem since they have proof that conner was pretending to be Nikolas (the blood types).

**talk2much:**I'm glad you liked that I brought Conner in, even though it wasn't for very long.

**ILovetoWriteSMP:** I hope you liked what happened with Conner. Sorry it was so long. In stories, just like in person, I can be long winded.


	26. When Dreams Become Harsh Realities

**Note:** Nikolas was kidnapped around chapter18, when Emily found out she was definitely pregnant. If it seems like he was nice anywhere around that time that was just because Conner was better at keeping the facade of being Nik better.Also, Nikolas thinks Emily is having Patrick's child and Emily thinks that Nik is the man that abused her and hurt her friends.

**Chapter Twenty-Six: When Dreams Become Harsh Realities  
**

_General Hospital_

As night broke into dawn, Robin found herself snuggled up against Patrick in the waiting room as she waited to be checked out. Feeling her shiver against his shoulder Patrick tightened the blanket around them as he wondered if she was really okay, not knowing that she was thinking the same. They both had gone through more than they could handle in the past twenty-four hours and they couldn't help but worry about the other. It came natural for them to put each other ahead of themselves, and it was something they had come to need in their lives to feel even more complete.

Patrick looked down at Robin from the spot her head lay on his shoulder and as he met her eyes he noticed she had woken up. Within moments of seeing him, she could see his concern mixed in with the anticipation of finding out her secret evident on his face.

"Did you sleep well?" He asked even though the answer was probably obvious from the droop of her eyelids.

"No. Did you?"

"Not at all. For some reason I just can't." He confessed, not embarrassed to tell her that he was scared of what he might see once he entered the uncontrollable realm of sleep.

"I know what you mean." She said as she continued quietly, "I know that if I close my eyes I'll see what happened all over again, in a state so real that I'll feel that I have to relive it once again. It's something I know I can't do right know. I just want to have it far away from my mind, so I can dream about something..."

"Peaceful."

"Exactly," she said as she tried to imagine how the life she had might be, not perfect, and yet enough, something she hadn't had for a while. As they continued to sit in their calming silence, Patrick came up with an idea that he hoped might help them deal.

"Let's dream Robin," he said, nonchalantly as if it were the easiest thing in the world. Robin looked at him slightly perplexed as she wondered what he was trying to say.

"You make it sound so easy. We might be tired but our thoughts are keeping us awake and our--"

"Secrets," he continued for her, "are bounding our minds to such a point of anxiety that we can't tell each other everything like we should." He couldn't help but throw that in as he worried that whatever Robin was keeping was something horrible that she didn't trust him enough to help her through. He just wanted to always be there for her...

"You know I trust you Patrick?" She asked, worried that he might be taking this harder than she thought. Why can't I tell him now, she pondered but for some reason she just knew it wasn't the right time. When it is, I'll know and I'll tell him everything. After all, our children will need us to raise them together...and we'll need each other for everything else.

"I know Robin," he continued, shaking her out of his thoughts as a sly smile began to spread from each corner of his lips. "So does this mean you'll tell me now?" At the slightly exasperated look on her face he replies. "Just kidding. I'll wait until you're ready."

"Thanks," she said mysteriously as the silence allowed her to delve into her thoughts a little more.

Patrick only wished he could get into her head and figure out what she was keeping from him because for some reason it sounded a lot bigger and more important than he could ever imagine. And it was.

Robin peered over at Patrick and could see the wheels turning in his head. She couldn't help but wonder how he would feel when she told him that she was pregnant; the truth was she didn't know how she felt about it herself. She was happy, uncontrollably excited that a little tiny life could come from them. That they could raise a son or daughter with his or her own, unique personality. But there was always the fearful possibilities and doubts in her mind that made her worry.

She had HIV. It was a fact that she had learned to live with and wasn't ashamed of. Yet even so, she couldn't bear the thought of passing it on to her child. Even worse was the knowledge that she just might not live long enough to see her child grow up.

Stop worrying, she thought. She had begun to live life more in the moment, and to not worry about the future when, right now, in this moment she was truly content. She didn't want to stray away from that because of any doubt or worry she might feel.

Inches away Patrick thought of where they would go from there. The danger was over and he could finally live his life the way he wanted with Robin. But what exactly did they want in a life with each other? He knew that if he could, he would ask her to marry him on the spot, at that very moment. He couldn't think of one other woman to spend his life with than the one right beside him. She was beautiful, but so much more than that. She was Robin.

The only question was, did she want the same? As much as he wanted them to make their relationship more permanent he didn't want to push her. Why was it so hard to figure out what to do?

They both looked over at each other and realized the added stress that was coming in waves upon them. Patrick reverted back to his suggestion.

"What do you dream Robin, for your life?"

"Well why don't you answer your own question first?" she replies, really curious to what he might say.

"No fair, but alright. I want to buy a house and wake up every morning to see your tousled hair strewn across the pillow beside me. I want to see our ten kids---

"Ten! Isn't that a bit much?"

"Well okay, three. And you can't interrupt," he says as she laughs at his feigned seriousness. "Well I want to see our kids running through the back yard, as happy as we are with the life we have. I want to see their reactions when they ask how Mommy and Daddy met and how they got together because we both know that our love has been eventful yet still so special. Maybe I'll start a practice with a brilliant researcher that you might know of. Really I don't know Robin and whatever life takes me will be okay as long as one thing stays true."

"And what is that?" She asks, tired yet forcing her self awake because of her true interest in whatever he might say next.

"It's the one thing that I always see in my future and that's you Robin. I can't imagine living without you again and I don't plan to. I love you Robin and I want, no I need to spend my life with you..." he pauses for a moment as he wonders how to say this, ultimately deciding to be blunt in want he wanted to express next. "I want you to marry me,"

I've finally said it he says relieved as he looks down expectantly for her answer only to see something completely different than what he expected. She's a sleep, her soft snore he had gotten used to indicating that she probably never heard what he said. Though tempted he couldn't wake her up from her much needed rest to find out

Slightly disappointed, Patrick still laughs, as he thinks of him proposing, bearing his heart to a snoring Robin. Maybe this wasn't how he intended for it to work out but it only gave him bigger dreams as to what might happen next.

So he lets his dreams to drift him to sleep as they both drift into a deep slumber. Patrick places his hand on Robin's abdomen without even realizing what that simple action meant. They stayed in that position until they began to awake to voices.

"They look so cute together don't they? Robin seriously knows how to choose a hot guy."

"Focus Maxie. God, I can't believe this is happening. What are they going to do without her?"

"Maybe you're over reacting, they'll find a way to get her back soon won't they? They're good parents, and they could give her a better life than some old witch at a foster home."

"I know...They're already a family and they don't deserve this. To be split up just when they were getting so close...Maxie, I think they're waking up."

Both Robin and Patrick sat still for a moment wanting so badly to believe that they were hearing wrong or missing something that would tell them it was all a bad dream. They couldn't be talking about Izzy. That little girl meant so much to them now that she was a part of their lives. They couldn't lose their daughter, could they? They opened their eyes as Georgie and Maxie came into focus, their guilty faces glancing at the couple.

"They took her didn't they?" Patrick asked fearfully as he began to feel a sick feeling rise in the pit of his stomach. Georgie and Maxie didn't have to say anything for them to already know it was true.

Patrick reached out for Robin's small hand and held it for dear life. All the while thinking 'I'm not going to lose her too'.

* * *

_ Emily's Room_

Nikolas found Emily's name in the card on room 202. Taking a deep breath he walked in, soon realizing that maybe he shouldn't have. Seeing her lying there, frail in that bed with wires attached to her arms was too much to handle for him. What made it worse was that she was at least six months pregnant and the nearly non-existent bump on her stomach had grown to something much more.

Losing his train of thought as he paced he paused to pulled up a chair. Minutes later as he held her hands, he began to speak.

"I'm supposed to say something now aren't I? Something inspirational so that you're hand will begin to move and you'll wake up minutes later. But that only happens in soap operas Em, this is real life...Still, I need you to live."

"Maybe I sound selfish, saying that I need you to live instead of saying that you need to make it for yourself. But still I can't find myself thinking of anything else. I've lived years without you Emily and on the outside I was fine and happy. But that was only the face that I showed to the world, wasn't it? On the inside something's been missing for a while... you. I'd wake up next to Robin every morning determined to make it work because I needed to fill that hole somewhere inside me so badly that it was all I thought about. But she couldn't and neither could I. We both knew that we weren't meant for each other like I was for you and she was for Patrick," he stopped for a moment to mentally will her to live.

"I just wished I could have realized that sooner. That I would have told you that I love you before it had to come to this. We've wasted so much time. But we can have years and years more Emily, if you just fight through this."

"You probably hate me now, don't you, thinking that I was behind all that Conner did when after he had kidnapped and replaced me. I never saw it coming. I left the hospital for a quick break, probably right before you found out you were definitely pregnant, and when I came back I was a changed man wasn't I? And that's probably when it started, the abuse he put you and Robin through. God you must have felt so alone thinking that the one person who said he would try to love you could do all this to you and your child." The tears begin to fall his eyes as he quickly brushed them away.

"If I could have done anything to stop it, trust me, I would have. I just hope you don't blame yourself, because you will be a good mother to one lucky little girl or boy. Your child will be loved. I know that and yet I can't help but wish that the child you're having with Patrick were mine. But regardless of that I will be there for the baby and more importantly you. I let go once and I will never, ever, do that again."

He squeezes her hand once more and is surprised to feel an unexpected sensation back. She had squeezed his hand. He waits in anticipation for her to open her eyes and slowly she does. As something clicks and her vivid dream replays in her mind she looks back at him with a sense of pure fear as she tries to makes a run for the door.

* * *

_PC Orphanage_

Mommy and Daddy were gone again. At least it felt that way to Isabelle.

The little girl looked around the orphanage, "home" as that mean lady had called it. It couldn't be anything further from the truth. She missed her parents so much, and she couldn't help but blame herself, irrationally for the car crash that they were in. If they weren't driving her to her soccer game than maybe...

She shakes her head as she remembers how slowly Patrick and Robin had helped her. Patty told me that it wasn't my fault and that even though they were gone, my parents were always in my heart. Robbie was there for me everyday, whenever I needed her. When my nightmares started at night I thought they would take me back, that they would say they didn't love me anymore, but they didn't. They'd let me sleep with them in their bed and tell me bedtimes stories. They'd ramble about when they were kids and even sing me to sleep a few times. With them I felt happy again. Loved.

And now it was over, just like she knew it would be. Patty and Robbie remind me so much of my Mommy and Daddy, and in the end they left me too. They didn't mean to, but it happened anyway. Maybe this how it's supposed to be.

So Izzy walked away from her spot on the floor and stood up determined inside to not let anything hurt her anymore, even though in the moment she was crying inside.

* * *

_I-36_

"Slow down Robin," Patrick pleaded, worried as he watched as she barely missed hitting another car. He stared at her intently and saw the fire in her eyes as she seethed with anger. Yet somewhere in those eyes that unveiled to him her heart, he saw pain; pain that had lay dormant for so long resurface from the box that she kept it secured in. He knew he was right because he felt it too. He'd do anything for her to not feel the inevitable pain in her life from the past, present, and prospect of the future. He just wished he could somehow take it away.

"I can't slow down, we have to hurry and get to the orphanage now. What if she's scared, or she needs us? What if she-" her speech gets more frantic with each passing moment before Patrick finally cuts her off.

"Pull over," he softly demands as he notices that her hands are gripping the steering wheel too tight, seemingly enough to cut of her circulation. He searches further still, and it's plain to see that the color has drained from her face and the light that normally dances in her eyes has somehow diminished to a near blank expression. She looked to him like someone's whose world was unraveling and maybe that's because it was.

Robin swerves to the side of the street, impatient. She doesn't look at him, avoiding his eyes meeting hers by glancing at anything but him. He knows that if she looks at him, really peers into his soul that he will do the same and he'll know what she's thinking.

"Look at me," he softly asks as she turns to see a lone tear in the corner of his eye matching hers. She really wasn't alone in this, was she?

She reaches into hug him, tightly, if only to make sure that someone could possibly be there for her, unconditionally at times like this. Knowing that Patrick was made it so much easier for her to go through this.

"I'm sorry," she laments and she continues at his questioning glance. "I'm just so used to feeling that this is the way it's supposed to be. I've always felt like I'm meant to lose everything in my life. Like I'm supposed to be alone because in the end everyone I love will leave me. But you've shown me time and time again that you'll always be my rock through everything. I'm just sorry for doubting that."

"Don't be. We're human and we're meant to be confused about life, love and everything else that's thrown at us. It's just that we've come so far and I don't want us to turn away from each other again only to be left with regret and doubts about what could have been. I want us to never have to ask ourselves the question of what could happen if we were together because all we'll have to do is look at each other to know how far we've come."

"For once, Drake, I think you're right," she says nodding slowly as she lets it sink it.

"Just once? I think I can name a least a few hundred." He said with a smirk trying to get the tiniest smile to radiate from her lips. Knowing that it would help soothe her worries, even if just a little. Yet his attempt comes to no avail as he sees an even darker grimace set in.

"Why do you think they took her?" She says quietly as she tries to find the answer, "Was it something we did?"

"Parents make mistakes, we both know that and I'm sure we've been guilty of that a few times. But we've loved Isabelle to the point that she's not just some little girl she's our daughter. They'll realize that, I know it."

"If you think so."

"I know so." He says with false assurance, "You'll see."

And they would soon enough. Robin, Patrick, Nikolas, and Emily couldn't possibly know what was in store for them in life or where the love they had in their hearts might take them. It would be so easy for them to give up for the fear that what they had planned in life would never happen but they chose to take another route instead. Not only to hope and dream that they could be happy, but to make it happen, however hard they may be.

* * *

**A/N:** I hope you all likes this chapter and please review. It always helps.

**loilou783**: Glad you like this story and that you're still reading. Thanks.

* * *


	27. Together

**Twenty-Seven: Together**

It is so easy to settle into the life you once had, to live detached and unhappy as if your life was always meant to be this way. It's something you've learned along the way isn't it? Yet sometimes you take a leap of faith and decide to strive for something better as you decide to find your way past the pain of going through life alone. You go just beyond the courage it takes to finally, completely let someone in. Because it's then and only then that you can discover how strong you can be; together.

_City Orphanage_

Robin and Patrick walk into the orphanage hand in hand, a united front, as they prepare themselves for what might happen next. They just might hear that they'll never be able to take Izzy home. Yet, still they tried to be optimistic and to stay strong for her.

Robin looks around at the place that they, whomever they were, had decided should be Izzy's home. A dreary, run down building that seemed more like a prison than some place for children to live and grow. Didn't they know that kids deserved happiness and the bright, new experiences that life should give them? Izzy should have that, Robin thought, we can give her that.

They come to a halt at sight of the front desk.

"Excuse me, we would like to talk to whomever is in charge of this orphanage," Patrick told the bubbly blond woman at the front desk.

"That would be Ms. Sneed. Her office is to the left." The woman directs them to a room down the hall. They begin to walk towards it in silence befpre Patrick speaks.

"She took our daughter," Patrick says slowly as he tries to understand why.

Robin slides her arm around his waist in an effort to comfort him.

"Yes, she did but we'll get her back. I promise you that we're not walking out of here without her."

"We love her."

"I know and deep inside I think she knows that too."

Patrick nods, reassured, "Let's go get Izzy."

* * *

_General Hospital_

Emily woke from the nightmare that had played in her mind to find someone's hand in hers. Nikolas, she wondered with her eyes still shut, before she realized that she'd rather see anyone else.

She had truly loved him and thought he was her soul mate, until it all started. Until he went from making her feel like she was the most special girl in the world to absolutely worthless. That's what he had told her all those nights when he started to hit her, that she was a worthless bitch that didn't deserve to wipe the dirt off his feet. The harsh words spoken from the same lips she once loved to kiss hurting her way more than any slap or hit ever could.

She couldn't understand it but she had taken it. Why, she thought? Why didn't I leave? I knew that he was hurting me and my child, but that wasn't the Nikolas I loved. I thought that maybe if I tried hard enough that the Nikolas I knew would come back and we could be happy, living our dreams. Not the nightmare that had become our life.

I was so stupid, she thought as she hoped that with the act of opening her eyes that the harsh reality that had become her life would fade away to something better. Yet she had stopped believing in fairy tales a long time ago, she needed to open her eyes, and face the world, now.

So she does, opening her eyes ever so slowly and allowing the fuzzy world that stood before her to come into clear view. That's when she saw him. Sitting next to her was Nikolas.

Without a second thought, she attempted to run for the door.

Maybe she wasn't ready to face the world after all, if that meant that she would be hurt by it time and time again.

* * *

_City Orphanage_

Finally, Robin and Patrick sat face to face with the woman that had tried to shatter their family. She couldn't have known what she was in for.

"Isabelle Livingston is not safe in the care of Robin Scorpio and Patrick Drake," Ms. Sneed said to the visiting head of New York's City Orphanage, Daniel Johnson, "never mind that they aren't married, and are recent divorcees, but they do not have the best interest of the child in mind. They left her in the care of people who allowed her to be kidnapped and terrorized by a murderer no less. They're doctor's who don't even have time to take care of her. Letting them finalize the adoption for Isabelle or even remain as foster parents is rather absorb."

"Do you have anything to say in response to this?" Mr. Johnson asked though his mind already seemed made up.

"Yes, I do," Patrick spoke up, determined, "ever since Robin and I met Isabelle we knew that she would hold a special part in our lives. And in the past months, she's become our daughter. It was hard at first, when the loss of her parents was still raw, but Robin and I have both been through that before and we made sure that she was loved as we helped her through."

"We made sure that she was happy too." Robin continues, "We helped her with her homework and cheered her on at all her soccer games once she decided to play again. We'd read her stories every night and made sure to play with her whenever we could. We've always had her best interests at mind and her getting kidnapped was the last thing that we ever thought would happen. We're not perfect, we know that but we love her, that should count for something."

They wait for a moment as Mr. Johnson studied them intently and Ms. Sneed sat back on her chair with what was seemingly a gloat on her face.

"Ms. Scorpio, Mr. Drake, I've been working with DCF for the past twenty years and I have never seen a couple fight for a child in such a way. It's obvious that you have her best interest in mind and if you would consider taking a further step and adopting her instead of remaining as her foster parents I would be obliged to put it in effect as soon as possible."

"Mr. Johnson, you can't possibly be thinking about letting them adopt her." Ms. Sneed said from across the room astonished

"Yes I am and you taking the child away from her home without consulting me just landed you on probation. One more slip and you're fired." He said prompting her to not say another word. Patrick and Robin were still silent as they let it all sink it.

"So... we can adopt Izzy?" Robin said cautiously as if she wasn't sure she heard him right.

"It's up to you, but I think it would be a fine idea." He said with a huge smile.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you," Robin said with Patrick repeating just as much. It wasn't long before they both got up and after embracing each other hugged Mr. Johnson and Ms. Sneed, the latter not of thankfulness but of uncontained joy.

"I'll call her down, right now." Mr. Johnson informed the twp.

"You were right," Robin said to Patrick with a contagious smile on her face, "she's going home."

"And we'll finally be a family."

* * *

_General Hospital_

"Emily, what are you doing? You need to get back in bed," he told her, still not understanding the look of fear in her eyes. He hadn't seen it for so long, at least not directed to him. He grabbed her arm gently to lead her back to bed.

"Don't touch me," she yelled as she backed away. "I'm not going to let you hurt me again," she whispered the pain evident in her voice as her eyes drifted to the door. She was crying he realized as her arms began to shake and though he wanted to hold her something told him that it wasn't a good idea. Something clicked in his mind until finally he understood. He backed away, not ready to leave her, but to give her space to understand.

"I'm not who you think I am," he said cautiously. He knew she thought that he was the man that hurt her; after all he had the same face. It was the same thing that had happened before when Conner had raped her so many years ago. He had let her go when the pain of it all began to be too much to deal with. But he wasn't backing down this time. He wasn't letting their love pass them by once again.

"Then who the hell are you?" She said as she looked up, staring him dead in the eye, "Am I supposed to believe that you've come to some revelation? That you'll stop terrorizing my friends and you'll stop...you'll stop beating me."

Seeing her hurt was too much for him he realized as he began to feel the pain that she felt. And yet he knew he wanted, no needed, to help her.

"I'm sorry that he did that to you, Em. If it could have been me instead of you. You have to know I would have took your place," continuing at her obvious confusion and underlying doubt he told her the truth, "all those weeks that I've seemed like I was a changed man I really was. All those times when you thought I had hurt you it was Conner, not me."

"You're a liar," she said indignant as her weakened body forced her to sit down. "He's dead, I shot him that night and Lucky and Liz buried him. There's no way that he could have come back to hurt us."

"I don't know how he did it but he did. And that night at the hospital before Kelly told you that you were definitely pregnant I went for a walk and he knocked me out. I woke up in the Cassadine crypt and stayed there for so long until Robin came and helped me."

"You're good Nikolas because I almost believe you, your lies, but I can't be that naive any longer," I want to believe him and in a way I do. But what if I'm wrong and it all blows up in my face, again.

Nikolas gets up from his place on the chair and walks to the bed sitting next to her, disregarding his idea to give her space. He needed to show her the truth,

"Emily," he said softly as he tilted her face to his, "look me in the eyes and tell me that I'm the same man who hurt you. That I don't love you. I don't think you can."

She sat for so long, staring back at him and letting her heart lead her to the truth, whatever that was. It was minutes later, though it seemed like forever, when she finally uttered two words.

"It's you," she said and hugged him tighter than he ever thought was possible. They couldn't, or wouldn't let go so they lay there for a moment, together as they tried to accept the fragile fact that maybe, after all these years they might have a shot at happiness, together.

* * *

**Author's Note:** It's been a while but i hope everyone who read liked this chapter. Please review either way.

Lorilou783: Yeah I'm still not sure how exactly i want all that to go happen. The main thing left to do before the end is have robin tell patrick she's pregnant and emily let nik know that she is in fact carrying his child and not patrick like he thinks. That and some other stuff before an epilogue probably.

IlovetowriteSMP: He really does need to ask her again, preferaly when she's awake and can say yes

talk2much13: Glad you liked the update. by the way did you get my last pm since you didn't answer my question


	28. Beautiful Love

**Chapter Twenty-Eight: Beautiful Love**

We spend most of our lives dreading secrets and the pain that they often entail. Their power to ruin lives often threatening to shatter us time and time again. Yet sometimes we're forced by life to realize that not all secrets are bad. We finally are certain of the fact that some may even have the power to make us smile or more importantly, change our lives forever.

_Nikolas and Emily_

Emily and Nikolas sat together that soft spring night in the Cassadine gardens as they gazed at the stars above them. As they sit on the soft, green grass Nikolas wraps one of his arms around her in a weak attempt to warm her up and even more so to bring her closer to him than she already was.

His life was so different now from what it was before and that simple fact allowed him the realization of how important every second they spent together was. He wasn't sure if anything could make him happier than these little, perfect moments he constantly lived with her. Well maybe-he mentally began before he stopped himself from thinking that if him and Emily could have a family together maybe things could get even better than they were, if that was even possible.

Emily looks over at Nikolas, now deep in thought, as she wonders what could be on his mind. There was so much that had changed since that night in the hospital that she knew neither of them could refrain from wondering, where would they go from there. Since that night when she realized that she had found her Nikolas they seemed to have fallen in love, deeply, all over again. They were happy, that was true, yet so much remained to be unsaid.

Nikolas kisses her hair, softly as he finally decides to break the silence as an attempt to ease any tension.

"You look so beautiful," he says in her ear as she shakes her head against him.

It has been so long since she had heard something like that and after being broken down so much she truly didn't believe it. To hear, 'you're beautiful' instead of...she wouldn't allow herself to go back to that place and think of it. It was beginning to become just like before and she liked that.

"You're just saying that," she said still in slight disbelief. Even as she tries to make sure that she was letting Nikolas in. "I'm pregnant and I'm huge, how can I be beautiful?"

"Well maybe you're not seeing what I am. I see a woman with strength in her eyes and radiance. The fact that you're pregnant makes you glow that much more," he says as he tries to make her feel better about herself with honesty.

It must be working he thinks as she smiles and looks up toward the sky deep in thought. She remains silent for a lengthy moment as Nikolas watches her smile fade into something else worry maybe, he wasn't sure.

"What's on your mind Emily?" he asks, "and please don't say it's nothing. You know you can confide in me."

"I've always known that Nikolas. And still, I'm not sure how to tell you this."

"Tell me whatever's on your mind Emily. Good or not, it'll never change the way I see you or how much I love you."

She takes a slow, deep breath as she realizes that now is the time to tell him.

I wonder what he'll think when he knows that I waited so long, she thinks. I wanted to wait for the right moment and at this point it doesn't matter whether not this is it. I just need to let him know the truth.

"Nikolas, I love you more than almost anyone in the world, that is except my son. I haven't even held him in my arms and yet I already know that I want to do whatever I can to make sure he has a good life. That he knows he's loved. That's something we had to fight for when we were kids and I don't want him to have to do that."

Nikolas nods as he wonders where she heading with this conversation. He knows that something important been on her mind for a long time, and he hopes that she'll tell him tonight.

"That's because you're a good mother, and you're son's going to be so lucky to have you and Patrick there to support him."

"That's just it Nikolas. He won't need Patrick or any other man in his life. He'll have everything he could ever want in you...his father."

Nikolas remains silent for a long a moment as he stares at Emily and then back down at the child she was carrying inside of her. He almost couldn't comprehend what she was saying at first but once it sunk in, the idea of him being the father of her child was mind blowing and so perfect that he almost rendered speechless.

"I'm-I'm the father of your child? Our child?" he asks cautiously knowing that it was almost too good to be true.

"Yes, Nikolas you are," she says and before she can even finish, he wraps her in his arms, tight as he practically picks her up, spinning her around. They kiss, a passionate kiss, as they communicate their elation through this simple act. Its takes moments for them to finally let go as they lay back on the blanket and look up at the stars. Yet even then as they lay hand in hand they realize that this was just another way for them to be connected, in the child that they weren't sure that they would ever have together. Knowing that it wasn't any wonder that the smiles on their faces had yet to fade.

"I hope you're not mad that I waited so long to tell you," she asks as she faces him propped up one elbow. "I just wanted to wait for the right time. Maybe I should've--"

"It's okay Emily. It doesn't matter how or when you told me, only that you did. You've given me one more reason to love you more than I do now, if that was even possible," his reassurance calms her and helps her realize that she's as happy about this as she is."

"We're really going to be parents in a few months..." Nikolas continues, more of a statement than a question.

"I know. I thought it'd feel weird to know that we'd be responsible for another, tiny life soon when we were basically kids when we met. But oddly enough it just feels right to know that we'll have each other to help raise our son. We'll be a team." She finishes as she thinks about what she's saying too late.

"But you know that I want more than that don't you? I don't just want to be parents or a team with you. I want to be the man that you love, that you can trust and know that I'll always be on your side. I need you to know that I love you and I always will." He couldn't let her think that he would stay with her simply because of their son when it was so much more than that.

"So what does this mean? I know I love you, and I have for almost as long as I can remember. But where do we go from here Nikolas? Should we move in together, get married, have more kids someday? Or is that all too ambitious considering our relationship just got back on its feet? To be honest, I don't know, but the one thing I'm sure of is that I want, no need for what we have to last." She says this all in a rush of words, leaving Nikolas to smile at her worry.

"I love it when you ramble, Em. Listen, you don't have to worry about all that. We're together and we're happy, that's all we need right now. And I know our relationship will get stronger because fate or whatever else rules why we love each other won't have it any other way."

They paused for a comforting moment as they sat in silence, finally unhindered by any tension. This was the first time in a while that it felt right to be in the present, the 'right now'.

Emily laughed a soft laugh, breaking the silence. "Do we always sound this sappy?"

"Yeah, probably," Nikolas replied easily, "and still, I can get used to this." He gently caresses her face and pulls her into a kiss...only to have her jump back.

"Emily, what's wrong," he asks, concerned by the look on her face.

"The baby, he just kicked. Wow this feels different."

"Can I-?" he begins but before he can finish she places his hand over her womb.

"Do you feel it?"

"Yes, its'...I don't even know how to describe it. Incredible," she looked up at him, content as she studied the obvious love for his son found in the wonder of his face.

"So this is it?" She asked more as statement rather than a question.

"What do you mean?"

"Love. What we've been searching for all along. What we've let slip through our grasp time and time again, but won't any longer... To know that we've finally found that forever kind of love in each other, and that we're building on a relationship that will last is...is..."

"The closest thing to perfect," he finished for her, "you're right Emily. This is it."

So they sat there, together, as the night's comet finally passed over their heads. Finally they were content with the point they were in their lives, the love that they had finally rekindled propelling them towards a brighter future than they ever thought was possible. They never thought they would get to this moment but they did and this was proof of that.

Life, a perpetual fleeting of images and moments, moments that often pass us by without another thought. Yet sometimes, all it takes is one astounding moment for us to realize that every part of this feeling, this love, will live on, forever.

* * *

**A/N:** So I hoped you liked this chapter. Only one more to go and the story will be done. After this I'm thinking about posting another story or two. One that I've started to write is an angst story about robin reaching rockbottom. another possibility is another scrubs and nem love story. I'm hoping they'll turn out alright enough for some of you to read that too.

IlovetowriteSMP: I'm glad you liked the last chapter. Thanks so much for reading everything i've written from my first one shot to the last chapter. Its helped so much

lorilou783: I've always been a sucker for happy endings so thats how it seems it'll end for this story. Thanks for reading.

sugarcube18: I'm glad you liked it. Its always good to see new readers. To explain some more about Liz' diary, Conner had planted it for Lucky to find and think that Liz wrote it. It wasn't actually her diary because she was innocent.


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